Caught in the Crossfire - A Fallout: New Vegas Story, Part 1
by CrymsonShokwave
Summary: Caught in between regaining her memory and helping out a powerhouse faction, a courier assumed the name Crimson travels in the open wasteland in search of her would-be killer for the Platinum Chip. Not only she is in a conflicting war between the NCR and the Legion, she is conflicted between her revenge and her feelings towards a certain sniper.
1. Prolouge - Death Within a Dream

_"You got what you were after, so pay up!"_

_"Heh, you're crying in the rain pally..."_

I thought it would be a dream at first, but the dream seemed, or sound, too real for me. I think I am dreaming, but the voices were so clear in my subconscious. I opened my eyes slowly, feeling myself trying to tug my arms apart. But no avail, I looked down to see both my wrists tied tightly in some raggedy, old rope. I was on my knees, struggling to have myself free from the ropes.

_"Hey, look! Our guest is waking up!" _One voice sounded from in front of me. I lift my head up to see three male adults standing just feet from where I am positioned. I wanted to scream for help, but no hint of my voice escaped through my mouth. This might not be a dream, but a complete nightmare...

The checker suited male took a puff of his cigarette and dropped it to the ground below him, using his black suit shoe to put the lit up end of the stick off. _"Well, it's so unfortunate that you happened to be caught in this little game. But I for one have seemed to have checkmated you."_ He reached into his pants pocket and pulled up an enlarged, circular chip. The light from the lantern shimmer on it as he waved it around. _"You made your last delivery, I'm afraid to say."_

I felt myself pushing my brows together as I give off a confused glare at the guy in the middle. But what questions me is the chip he is holding. Why in the hell is a little, insignificant chip that important to him, or why I am delivering it in the first place that got me into this mess! I don't know, but I wish I can find a way to escape this predicament...just need to add in a little more elbow grease. _"Come on, let's get it over with!" _One of the men started taking a step forward.

The middle guy hold up his right arm, stopping the guy from going further forward._ "Maybe Khans kill people without looking them in the face. But I ain't no fink, dig?" _He said. Khans? What are these Khans he is talking about? Maybe...maybe those three are them? No...the middle guy looks too clean and proper than the other two in his sides. But, his personality might be just like them. I kept struggling in my supposed dream, feeling the tightness in my wrists through the gray leather gloves.

_"We better make this quick. We don't want anybody to suspect anything while its still dark here." _ The Khan on the right said. He held up his shovel, eyeing me like he wanted to whack me on the side of my head.

_"Hmph..." _The middle guy harrumphed, putting the chip in his tux before pulling out his 9mm gun to the side. Horror struck in my eyes as I knew this might be my end. "_Sorry, hun. Looks like you've got yourself twisted up in this scene. From what you're kneeling it must be an 18-carat run of bad luck." _He held the gun up at me and sneered. _"Truth is..." _I heard a click from his gun. _"game was rigged from the start." _A loud BAM sounded, making me open my eyes to the harsh light above me.

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_Hello, readers! This is CrymsonShokwave about to attempt my Fallout story! As you can tell, this story will be based upon the New Vegas game, but this time with my twist. This story will have some differences from the game, so this might be a slight AU. Next chapter will be the introduction of one, yes ONE, of my OCs that will be used. Having a severe case of amnesia from the gun shot, she can only be assumed as "Crimson", which details will be explained. This story is Adventure, Romance, Sci-Fi, and maybe Comedy, and is rated T (will change to M in the future) for strong language, maybe some dialogue gore and violence, suggestive themes and flirtatious content, and sexual content in future chapters. So, please bare in mind that updates might be slow, around 2-4 days tops, so please bear with me. Happy reading!_

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**_Extended Summary_**

**_Crimson, or so she assumed her name is that, has woken up to a little town of Goodsprings with absolutely no memory of her past or anything. With help from the doc, Mitchell, she was able to overcome her unconsciousness, but wonders if the dream she had was real or not. As she journeys through the Mojave wasteland, she tries to regain her memories and try to find the explanation of her assumed death by the checkered suited guy. She will meet some well trusted companions, even one who has a high interest in her through his scope. Crimson's life will hang in the balance as factions will play tug-of-war on her to decide the fate of the Hoover Dam as Crimson will be "Caught in the Cross Fire"._**


	2. Chapter 1 - Swirling Confusion

_**-Ain't that a Kick in the Head?-**_

I could've sworn I almost became blind as my eyes shut really tightly, feeling like they almost burned out by the harsh light shining above me. I was laying horizontally, with my heart pounding against my chest and breathing at a ten-fold from the horrific dream I had, that all seemed too real. Lifting my frail arms up slowly, I rubbed my heavy eyelids with both of my weak hands. "Mngh...w-where am I...?" I murmured to myself. I slowly my eyes opened, examining a barely lit room around me. I looked to my right, seeing white cushions against my arm.

"Well, now. Seems like you've woken up." My whole torso tensed up as soon ad I heard the voice coming out of nowhere. I turned to where the voice was tracing towards to see a healthy, middle age man walking into the room with a mug in his hand. "I was afraid you wouldn't be able to wake up after being out for two days. Guess my handy work did good on you." He sat down on a small, red chair before taking a sip from his mug.

I felt perplexed. _Two days? It felt like I was out for a shorter amount of time than that... _I thought to myself with my brows scrunch together. My arms were shaking like crazy as I try to pull myself up off of couch. As soon as I got to a sitting position, everything blurred out for a second. "W-Whoa..." Just the feeling after I got up felt like my whole body was spinning uncontrollably. Glad I caught myself with my hand on the top of the couch.

"Easy there." The man beside me warned me. "I don't know if that medicine in you have worn off, but you might want to take it easy for a while. Just to get your bearings straight." I turned my head to the guy who took another sip from his cup. "It did took me a while to pull out a bunch of lead that wad implanted in your noggin. Though with that much in you can kill you, I'm baffled you made it through." He knelt down to the side of his chair and pulled out a square mirror, handing it to me. "I hope I didn't mess anything up on your face."

I kindly took the mirror off of his hand to catch a quick glimpse of myself. I examined my facial features thoroughly, looking at my darkened red hair that is shaggy and short, bright blue eyes, and fairly pale complexion. Only thing almost noticeable is a scar on my left temple. I used my free hand and moved my hair up, seeing a much bigger scar with stitches. "Ugh..." Just the sight of the scar left my spine tingle and gut retching. I let my hair flow down to cover the scar, mostly, before turning to the doc. "Not really..."

The doc shrugged, placing his cup on a small table beside him. "Well, that's what matters." He eyed at my blank stare, full of mass confusion. "Oh, where are my manners. My name is Mitchell, I am a doctor here in Goodsprings. Mind if I ask who you are?"

"H-Huh?" My...name? I wish I know what my name is, but something about me just left a huge gaping hole in my head...no pun intended. "I..." I spoke, but nothing came into mind. "I don't know..."

Disappointment shrouded the doc's face. "Hmm, seems like whatever was in your head must've given you amnesia. Can you remember anything from your past? Or maybe where you live?"

Again, confusion swept across me. "I don't recall anything...I don't even know what I am..." The only thing I can remember is my dream with the checkered suit guy and those 'Khans' he blurted. But, something about that dream seemed to feel too real, which suddenly made my head throb in pain.

"I'm sorry about that, young miss." Mitchell sympathize with kindness. "But I happened to found this little piece of paper along with a few other things on your person. I hate to be a busy body, but I had a quick look of it. I assume your name might be Crimson, and might've have something to do with a chip consist of platinum." The doctor held a folded piece of paper at me.

I took it from his hand and quickly unfolded, revealing much more needed information about me, except my name is hovering about a perfectly scratched out name. It also says my birthdate: June 8th, 2257. I skimmed the long paragraph, noticing a sentence that is underlined, which might be the important item. "Platinum...Chip?" I murmured, and realized something. Was it the same little chip that was in my dream, the one the checkered suit guy took? It can't be...why is a platinum chip so important!? "Is it me, or am I hallucinating things..." I felt my head throbbing a little more than usual.

"Maybe the medicine I put in your bloodstream might've given you that symptom. Believe me, I had a few patients who've took the drug said that were seeing a refrigerator with a skeleton in it. When I went to see, there was none." He huffed out a sigh. "The medicine might've given you a permanent side affect..."

I eyed the doctor for a short moment before eying back the paper, until I spot a destination as to where it came from. "Primm? Mojave Express?" Then I looked at the occupation that was on the left side of my 'name'. "Courier?" I have no idea what that is?

"Ones who make deliveries from across the nation. I'm guessing you are one of them. But I bet there were some people who deemed your package priceless might wanted you dead just to have their hands on it." He took another sip from his mug. "But people wanting a platinum chip, I say it might be valuable, who knows." He put his mug down and eyed me. "But before I can let you go off to Primm, you should probably make a small stop to a fellow name Sunny Smiles at the Saloon. She'll make sure to get you back on track."

I stayed silent for a while, seeing the doctor pushing himself off of the chair. He walked over to a small locker on the other side of the room, to my right, to pull out a blue, one piece kind of clothing with a number '21' on the back. "I think you might want to put this on if you don't want the locals here to pick on you for lack of modesty." Mitchell walked to me and placed the clothing to my left. "They use to belong to my wife. She rarely wore while she was in and out of the vault, felt it was too brazen. Well, I'll be waiting near the door once you prepare yourself." He began walking away and disappeared out of the room.

"Brazen...?" I murmured to myself, eyeing the blue clothing beside me. I looked at my body, seeing only a small, dirty top and dark shorts on me. _I guess this is what he means by 'lack of modesty'._ I thought, embarrassingly. I carefully stood up, hoping to not loose my balance on the wooden floor. I was dizzy at first, but the swirling feeling on my head faded away. I grabbed the collar part of the clothing, letting the rest drop down, and carefully put it on. "Ugh...how can you deal with such a thing like this!?" I complained after trying to pull one pants leg that was tightly wrapping around my leg. It only took me around three to five minutes just to get the damn thing on me, and putting boots on as well. I walked carefully through the exact doorway the doctor went through and turned left to see him standing near the exit.

"Well, it's the least I can do to give you some kind of clothing, but it's better than nothing." Mitchell said as I stopped near him. I looked down to see a small device in his hands, showing a little boy with bars on six parts of his body. "I figure you might need this on the road ahead. Here, let me put it on for you." He took my left arm and placed the device on it. With a KA-CHNK, it latched onto my arm in mere seconds.

I flinched, feeling how tight it wrapped around my forearm and Weiss, much like the ropes in my dreams. I eyed the screen to see the boy's bar saying 100% on all six parts of his body parts. I played with it for a bit, just to explore and get use to the technology on my arm. I put it on 'Inventory', show I showing my stuff in. I pressed the 'Purified Water' and out goes a small water bottle in my hand. "W-Wow! Thanks doc!" I said, smiling at him. "What is this thing, anyway?"

Mitchel chuckled, putting his arms behind his back. "It's called a Pip Boy 3000. It use to be mine back in the days while I was thriving in a vault. Everyone, or maybe most people, have one of those. But because of my shorter lifespan I don't think I will be needing one. But, I must tel you that if you were to roam around town, you might see a robot named Victor that might know what really happened to you. He was the one who carried you here."

My eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. I dropped my arm with the Pip Boy down and eyed the doc. "Robot? A robot carried me here!?"

Mitchell nodded once. "Yep. You'll find out once you see him." He gave out a welcoming smile at me. "Well, if you were to ever need of any healing or fixing, you know where to find me." He began walking away from me through the hallway. Just as I was about to place my hand on the nob, I heard his footsteps stop. "Oh, and one other thing..." He said, my head spun to him that grabbed my attention. "Try not to get yourself killed again." He continued walking away.

I couldn't help but chuckle at his little advice, though I should really take it to heart if I were ever to find some answers to my 'dream' and my life. I looked at the door as I took a deep breath and turned the door nob. With my swinging the door in, I was blinded by the light of the outside in seconds. "Gah..." I groaned quietly, shielding my eyes with my right arm to act as a small shade. Once my eyes got adjusted to the light, which took about a minute or so, I looked around at the almost barren wasteland from atop a hill. "So, this is Goodsprings?" I said, looking at the small building to the left before catching the word 'Saloon' in big letters and lights. "Sunny Smiles is the person I should be seeing there. I hope that person knows what he or she is doing for me." I said, carefully walking down the hill to the road ahead of me. I got my feet onto the road and eyed west.

"Well, howdy partner!" A voice made me jump out of my skin. I turned quickly to see a huge, bulky robot with long arms and one wheel. His little screen shows a male cowboy with a hat, bandana, and a cigarette sticking out of his crooked grin. "Might I say you are looking as fit as a fiddle now that the doc has fixed you up!"

I stood still, eyeing at the mysterious mechanical thing in front of me. "Are...are you the one named Victor, the robot the doc was talking about? He told me you know what happened to me since you were the one who carried me there." I sure do have a lot of questions to ask him. Shit, maybe I should ask everyone about me in general.

"Well, I am considered a robot," Victor began speaking. "But I am actually called a Securitron, RobCo security model 2060-B. It was two nights ago when I just came strolling by when I heard a commotion over by the old bone orchard. So, while those bad eggs were burying ya, I laid low until they decided to hogtail and skedaddle. I dug you out to make sure you are still bucking. And it turns out you are, just unconscious from the gun shot."

It all made sense. It clearly, fucking made sense! Figure it would be a dream turns out to be a very dreadful and harsh reality in my memory. As much as I want to explode and cause chaos just by that, but something within me didn't want me to. "Well, some fucking dream I had. Or maybe, some fucking experience I had...that damn checker suited guy shot me and gave me this scar" I showed Victor my horrendous scar. "and cause me to have this amnesia thing! Do you know anything about those guys? I would like to try ad catch them for what they did to me."

"Can't say I recognize the hoodlums." Victor answered straightforward, much to my disappointment. "But maybe the townsfolk here might give ya some tips on your perpetrators and lead you to their trail. Reckon I start with a place call Primm, if that is where you are headed. It's just south over yonder here. Happy trails!" With his one wheel, he rolled forward away from me.

As much as I want to beat the robot senseless just to get more answers, but from the looks of his body, even one punch can break my wrist. "Guess I got no choice. If I am going to find those bastards, I might as well kick myself back into the saddle." I said aloud, only for me to hear. A slight wind picked up, with a little dust devil near the northeast direction, I began walking through the rugged and crumbled road under my feet. Even from what little heat is exerting out of my body is making it hard for me to move in this damn number 21 attire because of the sweatiness. Hoping I can find better clothing, and getting myself up to find answers, I quickened my pace to meet up with the Sunny Smiles at the saloon.

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_**((Well, I hope my first attempt at a Fallout Fic works. I'll try my best to maintain the amnesia thing for 'Crimson' throughout the future chapters. See you in Chapter 2! -CS))**_


	3. Chapter 2 - Fragments or Illusions

_**-Back in the Saddle-**_

I stood with my head held up to the sign saying 'Prospectors Saloon' in big letters on a small, wooden building. Doctor Mitchell, the one who patched up a scar that was made by the checkered suit guy in my harsh dream which is a brutal reality, told me to meet up with a person name Sunny Smiles. Eyeing the place, I feel a wave of sheer apprehension as to whom will guide me to kick my ass back into gear. Yet, just that I have damn amnesia, or whatever that doc said, it beats wander in the barren wasteland with no knowledge as to what the sandhill I am doing. I slowly hike my foot up the wooden step and made my hand land on the door knob. With a twist, I swung the door gently to a barely lit room. I looked around until I notice a quadruped animal crouching and growling at me, much to my surprise. "U-Uhh..." was all I can say before taking a step back.

"Cheyenne!" The woman next to the animal yelled. "Stay down. You don't need to growl at any stranger you see come by." And with that, theo animal stopped growling and stood it ground. The woman walked up to me and smiled. "Sorry about my companion. She only attacks unless I tell her to. And speaking of stranger, what brings you here in this not-so-ghost town of Goodsprings?"

I blinked twice. Her voice seemed to make her so straightforward, yet it gives me a mellow feeling for some odd reason. I entered inside and shut the door begin me. "I was informed by a doctor named Mitchell to come here and see Sunny Smiles. Do you know where that person is?" I asked.

The woman in front of me somehow laughed at my question. "Ah, so you were the person the doc told me not to see until you recovered. You must be...Crimson?" I gave her a slight nod. "Well, you are looking at the one you are looking for. I am Sunny Smiles. But I already know what you are here for from the doc. I'll make sure to get your high tail back into gear around these parts and beyond. Follow me and Cheyenne on out, we will to shoot something." Sunny, with her companion Cheyenne, walked past me and opened the door. "Come on!"

"O-okay..." I spoke, walking out of the saloon with the two following me. "Umm, Sunny?" I caught the broad's attention. "You said we are going to shoot something. But, I don't got anything in me to do that." I really had to ask that, since I am the one with no knowledge of anything...I think.

"Oh, silly me. I forgot you don't have a gun on you." Sunny said, smiling. "Here, I'll let you use my shotgun and some ammo until you can get one yourself." She handed me her long, brown handle gun and some ammo in a small box that reads '5.56mm ammo'. "But, since you have amnesia, it would be wise to shoot at something small, like the Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles I use when I do target practice. Follow me." Sunny walked past me to the right and started running, with Cheyenne at her side.

Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles? I have never heard of them before. But then again, with my memory wiped out, who knows. Mu head throbbed for a second, having a small image of what appears to be my hand holding a caramel color bottle with the words 'Sunset Sarsaparilla ' on the cover. _"Can I get two to go, please?" _I heard my voice echoed in the image. "Was that...a memory of mine?" I said, feeling the pain going away in my head. "Maybe it might be that side effect the doc said..." I held onto the heavy shotgun as I walked forward to catch up to Sunny, until something white was caught at the corner of my eye. I turned my head left, seeing a big, white, rectangular thing lying on the ground. And inside it is a dark brown pile of sticks. "Wait a minute..."

_"I had a few of my patients saying they see a skeleton inside of a refrigerator." _were the words that Dr. Mitchell told me when he mentioned the 'permanent side affect' coming from the drug I had while I was unconscious. I shock my head and grunted. "Yep, I'm hallucinating..." I grumbled, surveying the area to find Sunny and her Cheyenne. "There they are." I spotted them near a small, wooden home waiting for me to join in. I began running, but my speed wasn't that good hence the gun on my hands. Ad I got to her, I stood to her left while I try yo catch my breath.

I notice Sunny turning her head to me. "Alright, those Sunset Sarsaparilla bottles on that fence, try shooting them from over here." She instructed me. "It may be hard at first from this kind of distance, but you will get the hang of it after a few rounds." By first, she probably said that because of my amnesia. I wish everyone can stop treating me like a child.

I deeply huffed and position the gun up at one of the bottles. By pulling the hammer back with my thumb, I pressed the trigger to send the bullet forward. I looked to see if the targeted bottle has shattered, but all I see is a little hole just millimeters to the right. "Damn it..." I growled. I held the gun back up and hit another round. This time the bullet hit above the top. "Fuck..." I said, my voice a little bit louder. I kept shooting and shooting continuously at the same damn bottle until no ammo projected out of the barrel. After about seven rounds, I took a huge glimpse at the many misses I did around the bottle. "Shit! What the fuck am I missing in this damn target practice!?" I yelled, feeling like breaking the gun on the ground.

"Maybe you should try crouching. It works better is you are targeting a specific item...or animal." Sunny told me. "On top of that, don't try to stress yourself out. That will make matters worse..." I twist my head with my poker face expression at her. "I-I'm not saying that you are going to kill yourself over the littlest things, I just want to make sure you keep yourself calm in situations like this."

"Easy for you to say..." I mumbled to myself. Luckily the wind was loud enough to make my voice inaudible for Sunny to hear. I slowly lowered myself to a crouching position, lifting the barrel at the same bottle. "Okay...I can do this...just need-" My hands began to shake a bit, along with my head throbbing like crazy once again. A faint but clear image of some animal walking in front of the bottle. It's topaz eyes sought me, barring it's teeth as a threat to me. _Another...hallucination? _I stared back with my eye at the gray, four legged creature. _No. Another memory...but, why am I only seeing it? _My breathing intensified, glaring at the illusion slowly coming at me. It leaped at me, and out if instinct I pulled the trigger at it. Hearing a crash, the illusion disappeared, leaving me on my ass to the ground after the sudden recoil of the gun.

"Wow, that was dead on the target!" Sunny praised. "See, if you keep calm, you will get the ha-" her voice trailed off to a halt. "Crimson? Are you alright? I hope that recoil didn't surprise you into a heart attack." Sounds like she is talking to me.

All my mind and body just shut down from my surroundings, glaring at what's left of the Sarsaparilla bottle standing on the wooden fence. "I...I shot that?" I said slowly. "But, there was gray animal charging towards me just a second ago!"

"Oh, you mean those coyotes?" Sunny spoke. "If I were to see a coyote around this town, I'll let my dog, Cheyenne, to handle the work. Yeah, nothing can stand a chance against my best friend and her iron canine instincts." I saw a hand of hers reach to me. "Come on, give it one more try."

Grabbing het hand, she pulled me back to my feet with brute strength. "Alright. Just this time I won't be so jumpy after such a ridiculous illusion popping out of nowhere." I was the only one that chuckled at my dry joke. I positioned myself at the bottle on the right of the broken bottle. With the hammer pulled back, and taking a deep breath, I launched the bullet that caused the bottle to shatter into pieces. "Yes! I got it!" I cheered, lowing the gun down to my hip. "So, what's next, Sunny?" I shift my eyes the woman.

Sunny smiled from ear to ear. "I'm glad you asked. You see, he got a problem over by the water source where we get the purified water from. A band of yellow geckos settled in and scared off anyone who dares try to get inside their territory. You think you can handle a few round of geckos?"

"Pfft..." I waved my right arm in the air. "A few, insignificant reptiles will be a breeze to get rid of. Besides, what's the worse that can happen?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"I would take back the words you just said." Sunny warned. "These geckos are huge, and their bite is worse than what they appear. Come on, I'll show you the way. And," she unclipped a belt on her torso and handed to me. "you might need this holster for that your using. Don't want to run so slow with a two hander in your palms."

"Thanks." I grabbed the holster and slung it over my right shoulder. Adjusting to a comfort fitting, I put the shotgun in the pouch on my back. "Lead the way. Let's go find those geckos."

Sunny signal a nod to me as an agreement. "It's not that far, if you are that fast to catch up to me." I swear that must've been a joke when her giggle echoed once she and Cheyenne jogged south of my position. The words of "The geckos won't kill themselves if we don't hurry!" from her voice were faint but clear as a bell several meter from me.

"Boy..." I mumbled. "couldn't my day get any weirder than ever?" I shrugged my shoulders, twisting my whole self around at the direction Sunny ran off to. Though the gun on my back tend to weigh myself down, hell, even my thighs are starting to hurt from jogging. No, I am not fat, but I have completely no idea why. Meters from my point, Sunny and Cheyenne are waiting near a huge boulder. I stopped at about five feet from them to catch my breath.

"See, nothing but a good jog can help start the day right." Sunny said. I'm assuming she is just teasing be because of my lack of endurance, but I consider letting it slide. "I spotted some geckos not too far from here. I think we can teach them a lesson or two if we get the advantage. Oh, and remember to crouch. It's best to sneak up to them undetected."

I lowered my eyebrows, giving her an unsatisfied glare. "By the word 'we', you mean 'me' since I am the one with the gun here." I groaned and unsheathed my gun from the holster, crouching like I was instructed and silently started moving forward to the open area. Everything around me is dead silent, except the wind blowing through to the east. My Pip Boy 3000 beeped a few times, though the sound made me tense up. Eyeing my device, I see a map of the area with two red dots slowly moving in different directions.

_Geckos must be there... _I thought, keeping my pace inaudible to the foes. Something bright yellow trudge past the water pipes towards the other yellow figure. They were the same size, amber iris less eyes, and spikes on its head, back, and tail. _Huh, they're not that bad. Just one shot to the back and that's all said and done. _I position the gun near my face at the gecko to the right. Staying still, I gently pulled the hammer back and took a deep breath before pulling the trigger. It hit the shoulder blade of the right gecko, but it was not enough to take him down. "Huh? How can that...?" My voice trailed off once the gecko turned to me. They began running with their jaws open towards me, though a slight hiss can be heard by them from afar.

"Shit!" I yelled, taking a couple of more bullets from my pocket to reload my shotgun. "F-Fuck..." My hands and arms started to tremble vigorously as a state of panic began to overflow my self being. After a thirty second reload, I quickly positioned the gun near me and launched it on the head this time. Even that shot didn't immobilize the damn reptile.

_Hisssssss... _The nearest gecko quickened his pace towards me. Great, I am about to be a gecko's meal if I don't act quick! I went to stand up on my feet and run back as quickly as possible, until a certain misstep in a small hole caught my right leg, making me fall down.

"Aurgh!" I yelled. "Fuck, my ankle!" The pain in my ankle left me curled up and holding it. I didn't realize the shotgun was yards from me when I fell down, my mind and eyes were focused on the gecko leaping and plunging forward at me. "Not good..." I whimpered, feeling my end coming closer than expected. But something happened in a blink of an eye: the gecko was just within range as his giant head was blown to bits. Only thing I can do was scream from that horrific scene.

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**_((Ugh, I really hate slow starts. Especially when it takes a few days to complete one freaking chapter! Anyways, I know this chapter is shitty, excuse my language, but all will be said and done once 'Crimson' leaves Goodsprings. Thanks for reading._**

**_Oh, and just a reminder I will be having a evening job. So, updates will be a lot more slower than ever. Just hope my damn motivation will still kick me into gear. See you next chapter! -CS))_**


	4. Chapter 3 - Trouble in Both Ways

_**-Back in the Saddle Part 2-**_

It feels like I am about to experience a heart attack after my horrendous glimpse of a gecko's head exploding in front of me, and the chunks of its head and the body landed on me. The dark, red drops of blood slowly crept down my face, giving out an ominous and queasy feeling in my spine and stomach. "Whew, that teach those pests not to mess with us!" The sound of Sunny's voice surprised me after she took another shot at the second gecko from afar. "Crimson, are you alright? I heard you yelling after you dropped your gun, so I came to assist you."

"I'm...fine..." I groaned, lifting myself up to a sitting position. "I just happened to twist my ankle on a damn hole I didn't see coming." I carefully try to get myself back on my feet, though the sheer, sharp pain in my left ankle made me since the moment I put pressure into it. "Well, my ankle hurts, but I am peachy keen." I said, sarcastically with my teeth mashed together.

"You just sprained your ankle." Sunny implied in a calm tone. "Lot more better than having it in several pieces." She handed me the shotgun. "I warned you about those gecko hides being hard. It'll only take a few of these 5.56 bullets to penetrate into. And if you're lucky, you'll land a hit on their weak spot, which is on the forehead between its eyes."

I snatched the gun out of her hand, growling quietly from the late reminder. "Glad to know..." I lowered my brows with an unsatisfied expression just before I surveyed the area for any more geckos in the place. "Well, you've manage to take care of those creatures for me before I can. Not to mention I have gecko blood all over me." I used my left jumpsuit sleeve to wipe off some of the drops of gecko blood from my face. "Ugh, I really need to be cleaned after this. But, first things first: let's find the rest o-"

"Help!" A faint, but clear sound of someone yelled from the northwest direction from me and Sunny. "G-Get away you damn repti- AHHH!" The sound of her yell grew louder. "NO! GET BACK, GET BACK!" Several thumps and whacks came up after her yell.

"Sounds like someone is in a pickle with some geckos far out west." Sunny spoke. "Hope your ankle is healed enough to finish off a few more geckos."

I applied more pressure onto my left foot, placing in dorsey and planter flexion slowly. Though little pings of pain shot in my ankle, but it doesn't stop me from standing straight. "I think I can handle a few more rounds. I just need to be more careful on where I step onto, otherwise I would ask for the doc's help to fix up my leg." I put my shotgun in the holster, along with Sunny and Cheyenne behind me, we made our was towards west to the frantic call of distress.

"No! AURGH!" The voice was louder the closer the three of us ran further out to the person, along with some hissing noises, thumps, and hard whacks. I became within range of the distress call, seeing about four yellow geckos attacking a young female adult. The only weapon she has in her hand is a small switch blade, which didn't seem to be much of help against the gecko's thick hide. She swung her right arm at the closest gecko with her blade, but a small snap occurred. "Oh no..." She held her now bladeless weapon in horror.

"Fuck." I growled as I held the shotgun in position. "Any second more and she's gecko meat!" I stood still, pointing the gun at the first gecko attack the woman. It is pretty hard to get a clear shot without harming her, and the geckos are way too fast for me to do so. "Damn it, stay still you imbecile!" I yelled, that somehow attracted half of the groups attention. Steadily holding the gun at the charging geckos, I pulled the trigger back. A bloody hold appeared on its forehead, right in between the eyes just as Sunny informed me. The perished gecko skidded to a halt near my feet. "Yes!"

More hissing noises are heard where the woman is at. Two geckos cornered her against a rocky wall with little to no chance of escaping. "N-No...s-s-stay back!" The woman's voice all shaken up with fear as she horrifyingly stare at the hungry reptiles.

I gritted my teeth together, making them grind within contact. With the other charging gecko changing course towards its group it seems like I have to move a lot more faster than before. I took my position realm quick and fired off some shots at two of the closest geckos I can target easily. Two bullets hit the back of the right gecko's neck, and three on the oncoming gecko's midsection. Both of which perished, the last one is still trying to get the female, though is stopped by a small barrage of rocks being thrown by the woman. "Shit, I need to do something about that last one, and fast!" I reposition myself with the gun near my face before pulling the trigger. Just a little click was all the gun did. "Great, just my lu-" I went to reach for the ammo in my Pip Boy, it said I ran out of ammo. "FUCK!" I yelled.

"I got this!" I heard Sunny's voice heard from the rocky ridge behind me. I turned around to the shotgun wielding Sunny taking aim at the last gecko. With a loud gun shot, the bullet went into the geckos right temple, fatally killing it on the spot. "Sorry, for the long absence, I had Cheyenne fetching my gun for me. But, at least we got rid of those geckos, and saved that woman from further harm."

"I couldn't agree more, young lady." The voice came from the lady that was in trouble. She walked towards me and Sunny with a few water bottles in her hands. "I was only out here to fetch some water until those little rascals decided to chase me away. But, since you look like you need the water, I figure you should have it more than I do as a reward. Thank you again for saving me." She handed me the water bottles with clear water before walking away from me and Sunny.

Sunny placed her gun in her holster and walked up to me. "Well, never expect anyone to give you a reward like that. But, one less casualty is better than a hoard of geckos attacking anybody who tries to come here. Now that predicament is out of the way, I can show you one last thing before you are ready to set out."

I kept holding the shotgun in my hands and held it out to Sunny. "But, do you think I should return this weapon back to you now the gecko problem is out of the way?" I asked. Yeah, it's great to have a weapon, but the shotgun is only borrowed to get rid of the geckos. I hate the feeling of keeping anything that is not mine, for some reason.

Sunny smile, waving a left hand from side to side slightly. "On second thought, you deserve the gun after what you've gone through. I'll give you some more ammo just in case." Sunny handed me two more cases of 5.56mm ammo for my gun. "Now that is out of the way, I am going to show you how to mix some ingredients to make something more useful in the future. I am going to need two items: Broc Flower and Zander Root." She eyed down, placing an index finger on her chin. "If I remember correctly, I know the Broc Flower is at the graveyard up at that hill, and I remember seeing Zander Root right by the old schoolhouse. I would be very careful while trying to get those items, there maybe some critters wandering around in those places. I'll be waiting over here once you get them both."

I nodded, putting my gun in its holster on my back. "I'll get to it, Sunny. And I might as well take your advice this time to avoid further mishaps." With that little joke, me and Sunny laughed. I turned to face where Goodsprings is and made my way forward. I didn't get that far from where Sunny is when I noticed running towards me.

The person, a male in his mid 20s I think, leaned over slightly to catch his breath. "Th...Thank god I got you." He spoke between his heavy panting. "I have been searching for my girl for a while, and I am afraid she might be up that ridge where the geckos are at. Can you please find her and bring her back?" He showed me facade of concern, even a small tear went down his right eye.

My brows lowered and pushed together. Though I wish I can decline his help and move on what I am suppose to do, but I can't let another life be lost at the hands of nature like that one lady me and Sunny fought off before. "Alright, I'll make sure to find your...girl and bring her back to you."

The guy grabbed my hands with his. "Oh, thank you, thank you!" He said, joyfully. "She is just up the ridge past a broken radio tower. You should see a huge, silver tower standing up with the other half on the ground." He pointed up north, behind me. "Make sure to return her safely, please."

I gave a nod with a serious glare. "I will, don't you worry. I won't let another life be hang in the balance." Twisting my body around, I pushed myself forward with my legs as I made my way to find a broken radio tower. Though, I wish he can be a little bit more specific on what a radio tower exactly looks like because of my damn amnesia. I kept running, searching thoroughly at the vast area around me. I noticed a small gecko walking with a bigger gecko up a steep pathway. "Hmm, he said its near a broken tower but I don't s-" I twist my head around until I noticed huge, shining object lying on a smooth, steep hill meters from where I am standing.

"Oh good, glad I caught up with you." The same male voice was heard to the right of me, which made me jump almost out of my jumpsuit. "I forgot to ask you to wait for me while I get my hand gun from my little rest area. I've decided to accompany you to get rid of those damn geckos together. How about it?

_I wish he could've told me sooner than now..._ I glumly thought, but sigh in defeat. " Fine, but stay close to me. I don't want you to get yourself killed by those geckos." I warned him, readied my shotgun out of its holster. I crept thought the pathway quietly, trying not to alarm any foe in the surrounding area. My Pip Boy beeped several times as an indication of multiple enemies nearby. "Alright, sneaking past them won't do much good. Better hope your shooting skills will be of use when we eradicate the group."

I heard him pulled the hammer of his gun back. "Puh-lease!" He sneered. "I eat gecko steaks for breakfast. Those brainless reptiles are no match for me. But a group is what I am worried about. Because if one is alerted, then the rest follow suit. You need to be more warry about groups when it comes to that." He slowly made his way forward with his gun in hand in a crouch posture.

"Nice to be informed..." I mumbled to myself, following him at his tail. I kept myself on guard with my eyes scanning the quiet wasteland for anything to jump right at us. The sound of the man's gunshots made me fell on my bottom and grabbed my attention to about three to four geckos attacking him. "Whoa, wait for me!" I yelled, bringing myself back to my feet before taking several shots on two geckos.

"Take this!" The guy said, firing off several shots at just one gecko. "And take that, you fucking piece of waste!" He fired off two more rounds on two small geckos. Damn, if he wanted me to take care of them, why did he insist on helping and taking them out on his own? Something doesn't seem right. "Come on. I see more up the hill!"

I didn't get to stop him and ask why he insisted on asking me to help him, when all I can see him taking care of the geckos by himself. "I really hope this girl he is looking for isn't some kind of trick to get me killed by the geckos..." I mumbled. I heard screaming coming from the incline, watching the guy running quickly with minor bite marks and scrapes covered in dirt and blood.

He went right behind me with his hands on my shoulders. "P-P-P-Please, g-g-get rid of them!" He spoke, his voice shaken up with fear. "Those damn geckos bit my arm and made me drop my gun just when I was about to reload. I did punch his eye to make him unlatch, but that made it and its group ferocious!" He pushed me forward towards the oncoming reptiles. "Y-You're a brave, young woman. Take out those damn pests!"

"Fine.." I groaned, readied my position with my shotgun reloaded in seconds. Quickly positioning the gun up, I took aim and fired off several shots at them, though a few it took me about two to three shots to officially killing them. "There, I'll check to make sure no other gecko is up there. And to make sure your girl is alive." I hiked myself up the steep slope with my shotgun still in my hands, shifting my eyes quickly for oncoming geckos that would decide to pop out of nowhere. I got to the top to see a small dead end and a blackened skeleton lying at the open space. "Shit, I didn't make it in time..."

"Actually..." The guys voice echoed from behind me, except his tone is different from before. I turned to him, seeing his arm forward with his gun pointed at me, much to my surprise. "You were just in time to help me get rid of those fucking geckos so I can get the stash from the ridge here."

My eyes widen as I glared at his benevolent sneer and glare at me. "Damn, I knew something didn't seem right once you started eradicating those reptiles by yourself. Why the fuck would you need someone like me when you know you are capable of doing it yourself!?" I felt my whole body shaking and boiling up with rage.

He chuckled before pulling the hammer back on his gun. "Why waste my life to fight all those worthless pieces of shit when I can use someone to my advantage and have them killed in my favor. In the wastelands, it's either kill or be killed. And you've seemed to be a perfect tool to help get the treasure that I laid my eyes on. And now" I saw his index finger twitch on the trigger. "Guess I'll have to kill you to get my prize." He pulled the trigger, launching a shot at me.

* * *

**_((Sorry about my extremely long update, readers. Work and dealing with the family had me pinned down and got me busy, BIG TIME. But, luckily I got this chapter done. I did manage to beat NV for the first time while siding with the Independent New Vegas, and now I have some money on me to get the DLCs. Hopefully I'll get them up eventually, but first things first: Important stuff. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, more will come! See you in the next chapter! -CS))_**


	5. Chapter 4 - Bonds and Companions

_**-Ghost Town GunFight Pt. 1-**_

"You sure did a number on yourself with those bloatflies and mantises. I'm surprised you didn't your noggin jarred by that guy who tried to kill you. I've heard that guy was bad news." Doctor Mitchel said while stitching up the wounds from the bullets holes that deceptive guy back out in the open wasteland. "So, tell me exactly what happened back there."

I sat on a medical bed while the doc finished closing up a hole on my left arm. I winced ad he put some disinfectant on the wound. "Some guy was asking me to rescue his so called 'girl' up near a ridge where a bunch of geckos thrive. So, I took my shotgun to clear a path, and noticed that same guy running at them with a .32 in his hand."

Doc Mitchel wrapped some bandages around the wounds on my left arm, right forearm, and left hip. "Huh, yeah I have heard stories about that kind of guy. Anything else happened while you were there?" He tightened the bandage on my arm to keep the blood flow from seeping out of my closed wound.

I eyed the bandage wrapped over my tight Vault 21 jumpsuit. "He cleared out most of the geckos near the ridge, though I was wondering why the hell he would take them out himself after he asked me to eradicate them. He came running back and hid behind me saying one of the geckos knocked the gun off of his hand while he was trying to reload." Doc Mitchell gave me some food to eat while I recover. "After shooting several geckos and killing them, that same guy point his gun at me, saying that he used me just to get some kind of stash up at the end of the incline."

Doc Mitchell took a sip from his small mug whilst sitting on a small stool to my left. "Now, that's something I don't hear everyday. I never had any of my patients talking to me about that guy pointing a gun at them." He took one more sip from his mug. "Did anything else happened that made you have those bullet holes, cuts and splinters?"

"Cuts and splinters are another story, Doc." Sunny walking in, chuckling, with Cheyenne behind her. "I heard a few gunshots from where me and Cheyenne were standing. We crept over to where the commotion was, only to see that same guy holding a .32 pistol at Crimson and shot her about three times at her. She took her gun out and somehow manage to kill him with one blow to the head." Sunny took a bite out of an apple.

I nod slightly. "Actually, I didn't expect the wind to pull the trajectory of the bullet towards his face. But, damn man! Sure was a bloody mess I made!" I laughed, taking a bite out of my food. "Now..." I took a large gulp with the mashed food in my mouth. "about the scars and splinters. I didn't know those fucking bloatflies can attack you unprovoked. All I did was try to get a Broc Flower in the graveyard, and those damn insects started shooting spikes from their...erm...behinds. And those mantis, ugh, those things are annoying!"

Doc Mitchell and Sunny chuckled. "I agree, but my advice: just save your bullets and crush them with your feet. Why waste so much lead on weak, mutated insects." Sunny said. "Anyways, I've already made you some healing powder with the two items you gave me. Just ground the two together and mix it with a little purified water." Sunny held up a small, pear shaped vial with a mixture of red and orange powder inside of it. "Now that is done and over with, I might as well head back to the saloon. Cheyenne will be cross with me if she doesn't catch any tunes in the jukebox."

"Wait..." I snapped my head up at Sunny. "How can you tell by just how you dog feels?"

Sunny smiled at me as she gave me my healing powder. "Well, if you have a companion with you for long periods of time, you grow a special bond with him or her. Cheyenne has been around with me since the both of us were little. Of course, having something, or somebody, by your side you get to learn more and be more acquainted with him or her." Sunny placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, maybe sooner or later you will have a companion of your own."

"Sunny's right, you know." Doc Mitchell said, injecting a serum in my left arm. I eyed the word "Stimpak" in a small words on the glass part of the item before he put it on the metal tin plate. "Well, the Stimpak will heal you throughout the day. So, for the rest of the day, why don't you take it easy on the battle and get to know some of the townfolk before you leave for Primm."

"Oh, and you might want to meet someone who goes by the name Trudy." Sunny added. "She's like the town's mother here. She'd be upset if I didn't let you poke your nose at her and say hello. Why don't you come along with me so I can introduce you to her. How 'bout it?"

I chomped down one last bite of my food before planting my feet onto the linoleum floors. "Sounds like a great idea, Sunny. This'll give me some time for my wounds to heal in the process. Thanks for stitching me up, Doc!" I gave the doctor some gratitude of appreciation. I grabbed my shotgun near the table to my right, placing it in its holster.

"Don't mentioned it, Crimson." Doc Mitchell smiled warmly. "Anytime you need more stitchin', you know where to find me." He took another sip from his mug. "You take care now."

I gave the doctor a half smile. "I will, thank!" I followed both Sunny and Cheyenne down the dim lit hallway towards the door back out to Goodsprings. The sun is positioned down to the west, slowly showing the sunset colors of red, orange, and yellow in the sky. "You sure we will meet Trudy before nightfall, Sunny? I'd really hate to walk out to the Wasteland at night."

Sunny eyed me while we walked. "No worries, I can ask Trudy if you can sleep in a room for the night. But, I have to agree with you. The Wasteland during the night can be really scary without proper precautions. I don't think you would want to run out there and get beheaded by any Raider, or worse, DeathClaws."

"Raiders? DeathClaws?" I raised a brow at Sunny. "What are they exactly?"

We are just near the Prospector's Saloon's door when the both of us stopped before Sunny can answered my question. "Raiders are psychopaths and chem junkies. No matter if you are pleading for your life or wishing no harm to them, they will still come running towards you and kill you with no hesitation. DeathClaws are the worse mutant creatures to come across. They are big, yet really agile and fast as hell. Reason why they are called DeathClaws, just one swipe of their claws will instantly kill you." She placed her hand on the doorknob. "And if you think one is bad, a whole pack of them is even worse."

"Boy," I said, my eyes widen. "thanks for the heads up. If I hadn't known about all of that, I would be a goner a few steps out of Goodsprings." The both of us chuckled as Sunny twist the knob and slowly swung it forward for us to go inside.

"I'm done fucking being nice to you people." An African American guy with a blue shirt and jeans with a black vest that reads "NCRCF" in big, white letters on the back. "I will say this one last time, hand over Ringo, or me and my boys won't hesitate to burn this shithole down to the gound!" The way he was saying to the young woman in from of him sounded like a threat.

The woman stood firm with her arms crossed against her chest. "I'll keep that in mind, Cobb..." She said, calmly. "Now, unless you are going to buy something, I advise you to get out. I don't want any more trouble happening in this town."

"Huh, you'll see! Just you wait!" The one called Cobb turned to walk before seeing both me and Sunny eyering me. "What the fuck are you two bitches looking at!?" He hissed. "The fuck out of my way!" Cobb shoved me down to the floor boards before proceeding out of the saloon.

"Crimson!" I heard Sunny shrieked from beside me. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know he was going to do that. Here, let me help you." I saw her finger tips at their corner of my eye, extended for me to grasb her hand. I grasped it, and with all her might, she yanked me off of the floor.

Footsteps thumped to my left as the same woman walked up to me and Sunny. "Dearest apologies, young one." She calmly apologize. "He's just got his panties in a tight wad after a little commotion that has been going on here."

I brushed the little dirt off of my sleeve and eyed her. "What commotion?" I asked. "Oh, I guess I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Crimson, the one Doc Mitchell stitched up this morning...or two days ago."

"Ah, yes." She huffed. "The one Doc told us not to see until you recovered. But, now that you are, I am glad you showed your face instead of hiding in the dark like Ringo. We just got into a middle of something we wish not to be involved in. The names Trudy, by the way.

My brows somehow pushed lower against the bridge of my nose. "Nice to meet you, Tru- wait...Ringo? Who's he, like a wanted man or something?"

Trudy shook her head. "He was a trader, said he was a survivor of an attack. We figured he was just in shock because of it, so we let him lie low. We'd never expect anyone to come running after him, that's for damn sure. But those convicts, or maybe called the Powder Gangers, are targeting us because of that. Ringo is just nothing but a whole mess of trouble."

"Huh..." I breathed out. "I'm surprised that Cobb guy wasn't able to find him, even though this town is not that big. Any idea where Ringo is at this moment?" I asked. I know I shouldn't be nosing into other people's business, but it's the least I can do for having them helping me.

"Well, for one thing..." Trudy spoke, unwrapping her arms away from her torso. "Cobb is quite fearful of Ringo. He's afraid that he and his men would get ambushed by him if they were to find him. And he is staying in the old gas station just next door to Doc Mitchell's place. Just wanted to warn you, I am not liable if you get shot on sight."

I sighed at the comment Trudy left. "Good to know...you like to come with me, Sunny?" I turned my head to the red head on my right. "Maybe we can talk some sense into getting Ringo out."

Sunny gave me a worried frown. "Sorry, Crimson. I have to stick around the saloon to make sure no other idiots decide to rob us. I'll catch up to you once I am done, then we will do something about it."

Disappointment shrouded my face quickly. "Alright, I'll go check him out for a second. Be back." I twisted the doorknob from behind me and swung it slowly, opened it enough for me to go out into the almost darkened wasteland. "Guess I need to hurry this up before I have to leave for Primm. Now where is that gas station?" I took a quick glance at the surrounding area in front of me until I saw Doc Mitchell's home. "Trudy said the gas station is next door to the doc's place. Worth a shot." I hiked my legs and jogged my way over to see a circular sign from afar. "That must be it..." I said, we quickened my jog into a sprint. I made my way through the road and up the small incline, having a much more clearer vision on the sign up on a long column. "Poseidon Energy...hmm, whatever that is." I shrugged. I walked up to a steel door right next to the Sunset Sarsaparilla vending machine on the right. I pushed the door open wide, only to hear a click echoing through the room.

"That's close enough. Any closer and I'll shoot your feet where you are at." A tall, fairly young man with brown hair and fair skin stood feet away from me with a pistol in his hand. "Why are you in here, and what do you want from me?"

I froze in place in horror. "Look, I am not an enemy, if that is what you are asking for..." I said bluntly. "But, please don't shoot me."

The male lowered his gun, quickly placing it in its gun pouch on his right hip. "Oh, sorry about that. Just that you caught me off guard for a second there." He looked down at the floor, huffing a sharp sigh out of his mouth. "I guess we got off to a bad start. The names Ringo. How about we start over with a friendly game of Caravan. Do you know how to play?"

"Caravan?" My voice rose up tweo pitches. "I didn't came here to play...whatever you just said. I am just asking if you should leave this town. You know there is this guy named Cobb that was out looking for you."

Ringo shook his head. "Yeah, he doesn't look that tough to me. He's a damn pussy for all I know." He smirked at his comment. "I heard he is afraid that I will shoot him down the moment he finds me, and he's right. Though once his friends show up it'll be a much bigger problem, I won't be able to handle them all at once. I hope I will last low as much as I can assuming none of the townsfolk decide to throw me to the wolves, I just wish Cobb and his men would stop searching for me."

"Well..." I spoke up after a long second of dead silence. "Maybe I can help, will that work?"

Ringo groaned. "We'd end up sharing a grave if it was the two of us going against a gang of them. But, if there were about more people to aid along with us, then we can handle out the situation."

I chuckled. "Believe me, Ringo. I am definitely not going back to the same grave I was buried alive once I die. I will ask around the town to see if anyone would like to accompany us, how's that?"

Ringo paused before nodding his head yes. "Best bet, start with Sunny Smiles. She's been friendlier than most townfolk over here. Now, hurry on back and give me the report."

I smiled and nod back. "I will, Ringo." I turned and bolted out the door. I stopped as soon as I hear a ripping sound feet from the gas station door. I looked and noticed a tear on my right side of my abdomen. "Shit, after this I am definitely need to find better clothing. This jumpsuit is wearing thin." I continued my pace toward the saloon.

* * *

**_((Finally got the motivation to start writing again. I managed to play Fallout 3 and ended so quickly after a few days. WAHHH! DISAPPOINTMENT! TAT Heh, well, I am back to NV with the FanFic, and hoping to continue on. See you next chapter! -CS))_**


	6. Chapter 5 - Ghost Town Round-up

_**-Ghost Town GunFight Pt. 2-**_

"Say no more, I'm in." Sunny gave me a a straightforward answer after I asked her to aid me along with Ringo to take care of the Powder Gangers and the leader, Cobb. I am standing inside near the front door of the saloon with Sunny feet from me. Her companion, Cheyenne, sitting next to the jukebox listening to some music.

I blinked several times at her. "W-Well...that was easy!" I said, astonished as hell. "What made you answer so quickly?" I asked.

Sunny, with Cheyenne walking and sitting next to her feet, gave me a stern expression. "Joe Cobb said he will leave us alone if we hand Ringo to him, but I know his type and personality just by looking at his eyes. He and his friends will come after this town eventually even if Ringo has been giving to." Sunny crossed her arms quickly. "However, between me, you, and Ringo, we aren't a force to be reckoned with since a lot of people here look up to Trudy. Maybe, if you can convince Trudy into fighting along side, then some of the folks in town will come and join in."

I nodded. "Guess it's worth a shot. I'll go ask Trudy now and see if she will join in. I hope a good plan on winning a gun fight will work, even if it means having a silver tounge to convince her." Just as soon as I turned around to meet up with Trudy near the bar table, she is already standing a few feet from me with her arms crossed.

"A good plan on winning a gun fight, you say?" Trudy said, her face neutral and emotionless. "I hope you manage to get Ringo out of this town. But besides that, what kind of gun fight are you talking about? You're not plotting to side with their Powder Gangers, that would make the townfolk very unpleasant about your actions.

With an eyebrow raised, I eyed Trudy after she mentioned the 'Powder Gangers' again. "Well, for one thing, I have no clue who the Powder Gangers are. Erm, maybe I might've heard of them before my amnesia...but that's not the point!" I said the last part quickly whiled shaking my head. "Ringo has asked to round up some people to fight off against Cobb and his men, and just Ringo alone won't have much if a chance against them. So, I figure I would help him out and ask you guys to fight along side."

The room became dead quiet as Trudy looked to the left of her. "As I said before, we got into a situation we are not suppose to get involve with. But if it means getting rid of the Powder Gangers with a bullet in their heads, count me in. I am really through with having their bullshit linger around in this town any further." Trudy turns to Sunny. "Sunny, run up to Doc Mitchell to see if he can spare some Stimpaks for everyone. Crimson, talk to Easy Pete into letting him use his dynamite. I will go next door to the General Store and ask Chet for some more ammo, guns, and armor." Trudy walked passed me and out the door behind me.

"Oh, I didn't get to mention this to you when Trudy mentioned Easy Pete." Sunny spoke up. "Easy Pete is an old time Prospector, and he is very protective of his dynamite. So, if you can convince him you know a thing or two about explosives, that'll get him to budge." Sunny walked up to the door. "Come on, I'll make sure to meet up with you and Ringo once I spot the Powder Gangers coming here." She twisted the doorknob, opening it slowly so it wont hit me.

"Howdy there, Sunny. Whatcha been up to?" A dark skinned middle age male with a tall, charred hat, blue overalls and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His face is most covered in a grayish-white beard and mustache and brows. He stood near the doorway, eyeing both me and Sunny. "I over heard you talking about knowing a thing or two about explosives."

Sunny nodded and smiled small. "Yeah, Pete. Crimson here is rounding up everyone to take on the Powder Gangers. She knows a few things about explosives. Tell 'em, Crimson!" Sunny whacked me on my back, which probably was a sign of encouragement.

"W-W-W-What!?" I yelled at her. "How can you expect someone with amnesia to be knowing anything or everything about something!? Seriously, I think a rock has more knowledge than I do!" Though it was intended to be a joke, but now it ended up being bad one.

Easy Pete shook his head slowly with his eyes closed. "Sorry, youngins, no can do. To dangerous to be having a hold of one of 'em sticks. I don't want to be held responsible for any casualties coming from my dynamite. Now, I'll you'll excuse me, I need to grab some z's." Pete twisted his whole body around and walked off.

Sunny gave a smug look. "Well, there goes one option. But don't worry, we got two more to acquire. And here comes option two!" Sunny said, the both of us caught sight of Trudy walking over to us with a loaded shotgun. "Well, any luck with Chet, Trudy?"

Trudy placed her gun in the holster on her back. "Took a lot of hard convincing, but he will open his stock to us and a few others. All there is left is to ask Doc Michell for medical supplies, Sunny. Hurry on over there before those rascals decide to come barging over here."

"I'm on my way." Sunny replied before turning to me. "Crimson, since the Doc and the gas a station are pretty close to each other, we a should make a run over there. I'll grab a few Stimpaks while you tell Ringo that we are ready."

I nodded. "Let's not waste time here, Sunny." I replied. The both of us high tailed on out of the saloon and towards both of our destinations. We stopped before we decide to split up. "If I am not out before you do, informed me when the Powder Gangers arrive. That way, I'll have Ringo tag along behind us."

"I will. It won't be long." Sunny proceeded forward to the Doc's place while I continue my jog over to the gas station, only to hear more ripping noises coming from my jumpsuit.

I groaned, feeling a rip on my beck, right thigh. "Damn it. I fucking hate this jumpsuit. I wish they could've given me well fitted clothing than this." I mumbled to myself before walking into their gas station. I see Ringo loading his small gun right behind the counter to my right. "Ringo, Sunny has agreed to fight along with Trudy and a few other townsfolk."

Ringo closed the six slotted barely into their gun and skinned it before placing it back into the pouch. "Then I guess that means we're ready then. Unless there are other things you need to do, I really hate last minute checks."

I took my shotgun out of my holster, holding it with both hands. "Let's go shoot out some fucking Powder Gangers!" I sneered with determination.

Ringo just smiled back. "Alright, I hope..." Just moments after his reply, Sunny barged in with Cheyenne near her feet. "Huh, speak of the devil..."

Sunny glared at him with an irritating scowl, then eyed me. "Time to look alive, Trudy spotted the Powder Gangers making their way here. She said there are at least six, including Cobb himself. They look mean, though, but they're just probably putting that facade on just to intimidate us."

Me and Ringo looked at each other, nodding at the process. "Guess it time huh?" I said. "Lead the way for us, Sunny!" I noticed a nod from Sunny as she held the door for me and Ringo to run through. Once out, Trudy is several feet from us as the three of us ran up to her.

"Let's hurry on over to the saloon." Trudy said, with her shotgun out. "Let's hope they didn't attack this place before we get to them. And don't forget to keep an eye out for them." Trudy, with me, Ringo, Sunny and Cheyenne jogged our way over to the front of the saloon. We took out positions, but only notice pitch black darkness in front of us. "Damn it, how will we know when they will attack us!?" Trudy swiftly looked around.

Then, another wave of pain struck my head again. "Aurgh..." I moaned quietly with my left hand on my head. Suddenly, little images of what appears to be me holding some kind of shotgun at a dark skinned, leather and bone attire wearing person charging at me with some sort of lead pipe. It ran closer to me before I heard a click. _"Burn in hell, bitch!"_ It was my voice echoing as a bolt of red light shot at her and disintegrated her on the spot. The pain and the memory faded as I noticed a few people walking over to us with guns on their hands. I held up my shotgun, closed my left eye as I positioned it to the nearest Powder Ganger. With a deep breath, I launched their bullet at him, making his head move back and body fell like a noodle.

The words of "Holy shit!" echoed from what it seemed to be Joe Cobb. I saw a flash coming from about five of them, only to hear the wood behind us crack a bit due to the bullet being lodged in their. "You had your fucking chance, bitch! Now you die!" Cobb yelled as now all of us started launching bullets at each other. Everyone had their chance going after the men on each of their body parts, which quickly killed them after several round. Until no one realized Cobb went running and hid in the shadows.

_Fucking coward..._I thought, making a run through the flying bullets in the opening. I was strucked twice on my left arm, but that didn't slow me down one bit. The other Powder Gangers all fell one by one while I search for Cobb. Somehow with the pitch black darkness Trudy mentioned, I seem to have great vision in the dark. I heard snickering coming from being a small shed to my left, and sure enough was Cobb himself loading his gun.

"Those fucking ingrate pieces of wastes!" Cobb mock in a murmured tone. Once my men decides to kill all of Goodsprings, I will catch Ringo and bring him to the boss for my reward!" He continued laughing and bad mouthing a bunch of shit here and there until he heard the sound of me pulling the hammer of my shotgun back. "Fucking-a, bitch! Don't fucking scare me like tha-"

I rammed the barrel part of my gun at his forehead. "You people make me want to fucking hurl!" I growled through my teeth. "All because you are finding some person to collect a bounty that you and your weakling men decided to pull the trigger on the innocent! What do you have to fucking say to yourself!"

Cobb's eyes grew the size of dinner plates after my intimidating posture. "L-L-L-L-L-Look! I-I-I-I'll leave Goodsprings alone for good if you bring me Ringo! I won't mess with anyone or try to hurt another innocent life again! Please, spoare me!" He shrieked.

I stood still with my gun pointed at his forehead. As much as I wanted to believe his plea and all, but I noticed his right hand slowly reaching for his gun. I pushed the barrel harder on his head, flaring with rage. "Don't fucking play all innocent at me. Sunny has told me about your type, and I for one have witness your failing deceit!" I placed my index finger on the trigger. "Die in hell, Cobb!" I pressed the trigger hard, making Cobb's head bounce off and fell on the ground. A small hole with blood pouring out on his forehead was shown from my bullet.

"So, didn't know you had that much in you, Crimson." I heard Ringo from behind me as I twisted myself to see him walking towards me. "I owe you a huge favor for saving me. Here," Ringo handed me a small bag of what appears to be bottle caps. "these are technically funds from the Crimson Caravans, but I know you will need therm more than I do."

I generously took the bag and examined the contents, estimating about 200 caps. "Thank you so much, Ringo. But...what are you going to do from now on now that Cobb won't be finding you anymore?"

Ringo smiled. "I'll probably stick around for the next few days. Then I will be making my long trip over to the Crimson Caravans near New Vegas. Of course, if you were ever to visit over there, be sure to see me in that area. See ya." Ringo patted my left shoulder and walked past me.

"I'm glad that situation is done and over with." Trudy appeared in front of me. "Good riddance to Cobb, I really love how Goodsprings is suppose to be: nice nd quiet. But, we couldn't have done it without you, Crimson. As a token of my gratitude, I'll let you stay in with me at my home for the night. How 'bout it?"

I smiled, placing my gun back in its holster. "I'd be happy to, Trudy. Hey, it's the least I can do after you people helped me get back on my feet!" I followed Trudy on over to her home, smiling away for the rest of the night.

* * *

"Are you sure you will make it over to Primm on your own? What if more Powder Gangers decide to jump on you and kill you?" Sunny said. She, with Cheyenne and Trudy, are standing in front of the saloon next morning after my decision to journey out to my first destination: Primm. Sunny became too worried about the condition I am at, amnesia to be exact, and wishes for me to stay a little longer.

I gave a sympathetic smile to Sunny, feeling thankful for her generosity. "I wish I can, but I rather move on to figure out myself, and to find whoever shot me in the head few days ago. Which reminds me," I eyed Trudy. "do you know anything about the guys that shot me? One in a checker suit?"

"No pt much, other than a band of freeloaders who expected a few rounds on the house." Trudy replied. "Luckily, I was able to get them to pay. Though one of those Great Khan thugs decided to 'accidentally' knock over my radio and broke it. Hasn't been working since. Maybe I'll ask Ringo to repair it as work for him before he skedaddle on out of here."

I wanted to chuckle at the hard labor humor, but my mind is still riddled with questions. "But, did any of them mentioned anything on where they are heading off to?" I asked.

"They did had some kind of argument when they got tipsy from too much Scotch, but the one in the checkered suit kept on shushing them." Trudy let out a sigh and placed her right hasnd on her hip. "My best bet is that they came from the north through Quarry Junction. If that was the case, I can't say I ever wanted them back since that place is riddle with DeathClaws Sunny told you. Merchants avoid that I-15 stretch like it is radioactive, which it could be for all I know."

I nodded, though all my hopes for a shortcut was short lived. "So, any other idea where they are headed?"

Trudy shook her head no. "I didn't hear much except for the leader mentioning something about the Strip. Wants to avoid the I-15 all together and went east. Just take Highway 93 up."

"Primm is just southeast from here." Sunny added. "Its a big place with a huge roller coaster, can't miss it. I wish you good luck on your trip!" Sunny held a hand out to me. Be sure to stop by Goodsprings next time whenever you feel like it."

I gladly took her hand and shook it. "I will, Sunny. And thank you for helping me get back on track, I really needed it." As I wave goodbye, along with several food, water, and Stimpaks, I made my way south and out on my journey into the wastes. _Whoever you are, I will hunt you down and find answers to whatever you did to me. Just you_ _wait!_ I thought to myself, eying the horizon ahead on the rising sun.


	7. Chapter 6 - Dangers Ahead

**_-They Went That-A-Way-_**

I didn't make it far from Goodsprings when I stopped near a three-way with a sign saying "Jean", "Primm", and "Las Vegas". I turned my head to the right and saw my next destination about a mile or more ahead of me. The only thing I know it is Primm is the huge roller coaster Sunny told me before I left. "Wait...Primm..." I reached into my pocket of my ripped up jumpsuit to get the folded piece of paper with the information written on it. "Yep, Primm. Seems like I need to find this Johnny Nash there and figure out about this kind of delivery." I eyed the important item with a few underlines under it. "And maybe ask about that stupid chip I was suppose to deliver." I folded the note and place it back in my ripped pocket. "Ugh, I need some new clothing...I fucking hate this damn vault suit!"

"I reckon you get yerself a new hide if ya want to high tail onward towards Primm." Someones voice made me almost jump out of my ripped clothing. I turned to see the metal armored, one wheeled Securitron Victor rolling towards me. "Whooooo whee! Bust my bumpers, you look like you wrestled a pack o' wolves from what I'm seein'! Why're your jumpsuit looking all torn up?"

I sighed, eying my torn and dirtied jumpsuit. "Long story short, tackled a bunch of mutant geckos, fighting off a fucking fink over some stupid stash, and killing off coward Cobb and his stupid Powder Gangers. Does that expain a lot!?" I yelled. "And by the way, why haven't you shown up while the gun fight was going on back in Goodsprings!?"

Victor's screen flicked a few times. "Huh, a gun fight happened back there? Can't say I recall the sound of heavy fire where I was at. Maybe I kinda dozed off back at the shack..." Victor used one of his robotic arm and made it look like he is scratching the top of his metallic body.

I groaned. "Some kind of Securitron you are, Tin Man...Maybe something is wrong with your wiring, let me try and examine it-" Before I could take a step ahead, Victor's hand transformed into some kind of gun and point right at my torso. "W-W-W-Whoa, Vic-"

"Now wait just one gosh darn minute!" Victor interrupted me, even though his usual cowboy picture in his screen is unchanged. "I can't just let yer grimy palms rootin' in my hard drive. Its technical-like. In fact, with yer amnesia condition, I'm afraid that you'll electrocute yourself and turned you into a squirrelly shish kebob." His robotic gun reverted back into a three finger hand. "On a side note, my apologies for not assisting you. Was their anything else you need help on?"

I eased up when he unarmed himself. Hell, I think I might've pissed my pants from that sudden gunpoint. "Not really, except that I need to get to Primm and also this so called 'Strip' the checker suited guy is at." I eyed to the west of me. "Maybe if I take that road," I jabbed my finger down that direction. "I'd probably make it there in no time!" Just as I was high tailing west, I felt my collar of the jumpsuit being pulled back, making me choak at the same time. "ACK! What the fuck!?" I yelled, turning to see Victor having a hold of my collar.

"I'm afraid yer death sentence will be waitin' if you take that direction." Victor said, making me turned my attention to him. "Heard a pack of nasty critters call DeathClaws would slice you like gecko steak and feed therm to their young. Not only that, brisk flyin', fast moving' Cazadores would catch up to you lickety split and puncture you with their venom riddled stinger. I reckon you skedaddle on to Primm, just to be on the safe side." Victor made a gesture as if he was taking his hat of and put it back on. "See ya on the flip side, pardner!" Victor turned and rolled onward north from my position.

I huffed a disappointed sigh quietly, followed by my eyes looking on the cracked pavement below my feet. _So much for a damn shortcut to that so called Strip. Guess Primm is the place where I need to go. _I thought to myself. I looked at the town with the big roller coaster before taking my pace onto that direction. Al I can hear is the sound of the wind, dark skin geckos running after some big bug, and a couple of people near a small mobile home to my left. "Damn, this dead silence sure even makes the sunlit wasteland so eerie." I looked down on my Pip Boy, reading the map and the time saying 12:13 PM on the upper right hand corner. I looked at one of the options saying "Radio". "What's this?" I said, turning on the "Mojave Music Radio" and sound coming out of the speaker.

_"But the day that I stop countin', that's day my world will end..." _ A male voice sang through the Pip Boy, giving me a more relaxed and calm relief.

"That's better." I said, jogging my way to Primm. It took me about two minutes to get to the gates of Primm, and to actually see the town a lot more closer than afar. "Hmm, I wonder how I am going to get pass those gates..." I said, continue to walk slowly to spot an opening.

"Hey, what in the hell are you doing here?" Some guy called to my right. "Primm is strictly off limits." Appearing before me is a mid-30s make wearing a tan uniform with a hat and goggles. "I am going to ask you to turn around and head back from where you came."

I pulled my eyebrows together. Hell, I'm surprised he is not in shock by how my vault suit looks like. "Wait, what do you mean 'strictly off limits'? Is there something going on in Primm?" I asked calmly.

"Some convicts from prison over by the west have set up shop here and tooken over the town." He replied, glumly. "Everyone has gone indoors so they wouldn't get themselves killed. What's more is that there are two tribes of raiders causing trouble in the area as well. Be safer if you would head back to Goodsprings."

Now things are even more confusing. "Wait, first off, who are you? And second, shouldn't you be protecting the town or something? You look like someone who should do that..." I asked, crossing my arms.

The guy groaned and shook his head. "I am a trooper, for one part. And I'm afraid to say that it doesn't fall under NCR jurisdiction, though I'd love to. But even if we did we are in no shape to protect them against those heavy number of convicts. We don't have the equipment to take them out, and even we did we would bpneed some extra hands for backup." He pulled his thumb up and pointed behind him. "My suggesting is to talk to Lieutenant Hayes in the tent right down the road behind me. Just stay on the west side of the overpass so everyone, even the snipers, won't shoot you." He turned and walked off.

"Glad to know..." I mumbled. I looked right to Primm before running to the west direction. Along the road I see some rubble and buildings that are still standing, yet almost broken apart. "Smoke?" I eyed the black smoke coming closer and notice a huge barrel with fire roaring in it. Behind the first barrel are two tents, and another trooper person walking around. I ran up to the trooper as I waved my hand to grab his attention. "E-Excuse me, sir?" I stammered, though the guy stopped and eyed me. "I am looking for Lieutenant Hayes, is he here?"

He simply nodded. "He is, he is in the tent to the left. Just don't try to start trouble." He walking towards the tent on the right.

I walked over to the left tent, opened up the flap to see two people residing in it. They both turned and eyed me. "Excuse me, if you got business here, please state it. Otherweise, I might ask you to leave the premises immediately." The one sitting down, a male, spoke up.

I stood at attention, and gulped. "I-I'm looking for Lieutenant Hayes, sir."

The male crossed his arms, eyeing me with a stern lookin this brown eyes. "That is me, Lieutenant Hayes of the New California Republic Army, 5th Battalion, 1st Company. Please state your business."

"I am here regarding the convict activity going on in Primm." I replied quickly. "And maybe asking if you would like some help."

Lieutenant Hayes stood quiet with his arms a still entwined on his chest. "We were sent as an order to be over here to back away the tides of convicts that escaped the correctional facility. As you can probably tell, we aren't doing one hell of a job out there. Just the main factor is the supplies, and the convicts out there are better armed and organized than our Intel initially could. I'm trying to get more reinforcements here, maybe get some guns with more firepower, but...shit...things are just going slow."

"Any idea who these convicts might be, if I may ask?" I said.

Hayes just shook his head. "Not much, other than the fact that they call themselves the Powder Gangers. Mostly because they've taken use of explosives like dynamite and made them into a weapon besides blasting boulders. They got organized faster than I would've thought. Well, most of them at least. But thankfully a small group in town seem to have split off from the main force, so there is barely anything for support."

"Maybe I can find a way to get rid of those convicts for you." I hesitated, hoping a burst of laughter will break out from them.

Hayes, instead, scowled at my idea. "Either you are just plain insane and walking into an early grave, or you are trying to shoot yourself for a pat on the back. But the way I can see how you dressed, I doubt you are a match against them. But, if you are able to get rid of therm, I will probably ask you a favor afterwards regarding the support." He dropped his arms down. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some business to sort out and I must ask you to leave. Report back once you've handled the problem."

I nodded immediately before exiting out of the tent. I began walking and thinking about a way to get into Primm. When I noticed an opening with a small bridge connecting the two areas. I ran forward, only to stop near another person with the same uniform. "Umm, is it safe to cross here?"

The soldier turned and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure if you got business here, but if you can manage to pass through the mines planted on the bridge ahead of me, you can. Just don't get yourself blown up." He said, taking a drink of water.

I looked at the bridge to see about four mines planted on the bridge, even two on the wooden plank to the right. "Oh boy..." I gulped, hoping for a prayer or some kind for my safety. Another wave of pain entered in my head as, yet, another memory of mine was shown of me eying a group of mines yards from me as I was running from a stampeding herd. _"Shit! Got to jump it!" _The voice of mine echoed loudly as I see the image of myself hopping over the mines and landed safely while proceeding my brisk pace. An explosion sounded, seeing the herd flying up in their air from the blast. _"Whew! That showed those Bighorners!" _I reopened my eyes back into reality, seeing the bridge ahead of me. With a deep breath, I ran forward to the right and jumped over the mine before it exploded seconds later. "Yes!" I yelled.

"Hey, you shouldn't be here, bitch!" A guy from afar held his gun at me. "This place belongs to the Powder Gangers, so beat it or I won't mind shooting your fat ass down!"

I groweled, only audible for me to hear. I unsheathed my shotgun oout of its holster and pulled the hammer down. "As if I'd listen to you cowards!" Pulling the trigger hard, the bullet went through its throat. "Holy fuck!" I never expect anything like that before.

"The sound came from this way!" I heard one cvoice echoed from afar. About two more men came running and started shooting with bullets and beams of red light at me. "Die, bitch!" One of them yelled.

I made a run towards the wall while avoiding the barrage of fire power, though a couple of burn marks appeared after the red beams of light hit my right arm. My back hugged the wall against me as I pant heavily. "Fuck, now I'm in trouble!" I took one Stimpak and inject the liquid into my arm, making it heal slowly. "Alright," I said, pulling the hammer of my shotgun back again. "Time to put these guys down!" I notice them appear to my left as they held their guns at me. "Fuck me..." I groaned.

"Say goodnight, bitch!" One of them smirked, hearing a click afterwards. Two shots echoed from behind me and hit the guy's head, making them instantly fall down to their death.

"I don't know what has brought you to Primm, youngster, but you might want to rethink your plans." I turned to see a dark skinned, middle aged man with a tatter awhile shirt and darkened blue pants with a rifle in his hands. "But before I can decide to kick you out of this town, I think we need a little talk about your unexpected presence here when you know it is overruned by convicts. Come with me, and don't do anything sly."

I just glared at him quietly, then pushed myself up as order and followed this mysterious person up. "Excuse me, but who are you if I may ask..."

The male didn't turn his head to my direction, even not moving his gun away from his hands. "Name's Nash, Johnson Nash. Or me might refer to me as Johnny Nash." That's when the everything started to click in now he revealed himself.

"Mr. Nash, do you know anything about this delivery I was suppose to deliver?" I handed him the unfolded order over his shoulder. He took it and read it while still walking, only to stop near a set of doors to our right. I stopped feet away from where Nash is, still glaring at the piece of paper. "Is there something wrong?" I asked.

"Youngster, we definitely need to talk..." His voice sounded serious all of a sudden.


	8. Chapter 7 - Tearing Away

_**-My Kind of Town Pt 1-**_

"I've been wonder where this Crimson person might decide to mosey on over here to Primm," Johnson Nash spoke. "though it is quite dangerous to be here with all of those confounded convicts controlling this here town." Me and Johnson, whom apparently likes to be called Johnny, are sitting near a small round table in the Vick and Vance Casino after my perilous arrival in Primm. Johnny eyed my piece of paper while rubbing his forehead with his free hand.

I sat on the opposite side of the table facing Nash. I can tell by his posture that something didn't seem right. "I'm guessing this kind of delivery I have isn't a good one, right? I mean, who in the right mind would let me carry some stupid and get shot in the fucking head by some damn random guy!?"

Johnny placed the paper flat on the table. "Well, for one thing, it had strange written all over it. But we couldn't turn down the caps. Some cowboy robot had us hire six couriers, each carrying a different item such as a chess piece, a pair of dice, that kind of stuff." Nash leaned back on the chair. "Last word I had from the office, it looked like payment was received from the other five jobs. Guess it was this order that didn't make it." He groaned while shaking his head. "First deadbeat we hired to do the job canceled...hope a damn storm in the Divide skins him alive." He reverted his eyes back at me. "Well, that's where you can in."

_Cowboy robot!? _I gasped quietly. _Is he talking about Victor!? _Something about this thing doesn't seem to feel right. "Well, I'm on a hunt for three men, one with a checkered suit and a couple of dead rats. Did they pass by here?" I might as well get to the main problem of my delivery.

"Well, now that you've mentioned it, a few nights back one of the townies was out scavenging for supplies." Nash replied, which brought my fullest attention. "He said he saw a fella with a daisy suit come through here with some of them Great Khan misfits. They were talking about the chip."

I clenched my fists together. _Guess I am right, those two are Khans, but not the checker suit guy. _I feel highly pleased that the route I am taking is the right track. "Well, that 'daisy suit' fella was the one that shot me on the head a few nights ago. I need to know the quickest way to get to them."

Johnny wrapped his arms over his chest. "My best bet is that you need to speak to Deputy Beagle. Since the convicts came to town he was good keeping a note of them before slinking around Bison Steve when your pretty-boy friend came through."

I made a gaging expression at the last part. "Blech...like the fuck he is my 'pretty-boy friend'! I had better taste of Bloatfly juice than his fucking sorry ass! Anyways, where can I find this deputy?"

"He might still be in Bison Steve," Nash replied. "and believe me, boy was 'bout as useful as tits on a radscorpion, and only qualifications he ever had was to be brother to the wife of the sheriff. If you can get Beagle, he'll give you any detail on the guys." He, along with myself, got off of the small chairs and shook hands. "Don't get yourself shot out there." With a pistol in his hand, he walked away.

My lips stretched into a grin, now all my answers about as close as it seems. "Great Khans, that checker suit guy, I am just steps away from catching up to you!" I murmured as I ran my way out of the casino. I opened the doors up to the midmorning skies above me, riled with intense excitement as I eyed the Bison Steve place across from here. "Better start from there." I jogged myself over across the street to the building's doors and swung it open quickly.

A guy from behind the barricaded tables twist himself to my direction with a fierce scowl. "Hey, who the fuck you are!" Without fair warning he opened fire, luckily it missed me.

I grabbed my shotgun from its holster and positioned it quickly and gave it a couple of shots on his chest. "Not enough..." I murmured, taking out a few more bullets from my case in my Pip Boy to reload my weapon. While doing that, I tried running to the side so each of his bullets would miss. After a five second reloading, I got my gun back up, thus taken a shot at his trachea that instantly killed him. "Bullseye!" I yelled.

"Get her!" Two more convicts came from the opening and opened fire. The speed from the bullets scraped against both my skin and my vault suit.

I wish to complain about my damn tatter clothing, but my life is on the line. "Eat this!" I took about five to seven more shots on the two convicts, though a bullet unexpectedly shot on their heads manage to get rid of them quick. "Good, now to check what they have on them..." I walked up to the corpse one by one and patted them down for any useful items I can get. The only items I can get were a couple of 9mm's, the bullets, and a couple of dynamite. In as crouching posture, I crept over through their corner to see anybody else walking around the area.

"Man, wish there is something else to do besides fucking walking in this place..." A convict yards from me was audible for me to hear from where I am standing. He walked to the left, which gave me the opportunity to shift rooms without detection.

I stood back up and eyed the area, only to see empty bottles, toys, and scorched books all over the shelves and the floor. "Barely anything good here..." I said quietly, then eyed some bottle caps on the table to my left. "Huh, these can prove me useful if I collect them." Igrabbedt all six bottle caps and put them in my small pouch. "Now, to finish off the other convicts." I peered over the doorway, seeing no sign of any convict on sight. I began tiptoeing my way to a little opening farther up right, with an elevator with a sign saying 'Out of Order'.

"Huh?" I heard a voice called soon after I placed my back to the wall. Footsteps shuffled against the carpet and got louder and closer. "There you are!" He positioned his pistol at me, but I was a second early when I took a shot to his chest a few times.

"Fuck, that scared me..." I felt my heart beat rapidly against my chest. Knowing I need to find the deputy, I held my gun tightly as I made a run for it to the next area. I grabbed one of the dynamites from my Pip Boy, along with a lighter on the fuse, I quickly stepped to the opening and threw the ignited stick over, taking cover before the explosion happened. "Well, that's one down..." I murmured.

"Stop right there!" I whipped my head towards three men pointing their guns at me. "Now, let us capture you, and we promise not to play rough on your corpse!"

I mashed my teeth together. "I rather have my body burned before you make me your play toy!" I lit the second dynamite and threw it to them as I run for cover. I heard them panic for their lives when the explosion occurred, leaving the area dead silent. "That takes care of them." I said, walking back to the mangled corpses, only to see a fireball flying though the right side of my vault suit. "Aurgh!" I groaned and couched thee burned area, only to feel my exposed skin.

It appears to be there leader of the convicts, holding some kind of huge gun with fire flaring at tjer tip of the barrel. "You think you are fucking smart after taking out most of my men. Well, let's see you can dodge a barrage of fireballs from my Incinerator!" He launched a couple of more fireballs at me, one manage to to burn on my left sleeve.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!" I patted the small flame on my sleeve to extinguish it quickly. "When I meant my body burned, I didn't mean to take it literally!" I ran right, entering a large room with some tables, beds, barrels with fire in it, and some kind of animal in a stick over a small fire. I hopped behind one of the knocked over tables and took cover from the continuous barrage of fireballs. "Crap, even if I tried taking a shot at him, my bullets are nowhere near as fast as his weapon...gotta do something quick or I'm going to be as burnt carcass in the next few seconds."

"Come on, bitch!" The leader's voice echoed in the large room. "Why don't you show yourself and stop hiding like a fucking little girl!" I felt the table against my back pushed forward from the fireballs he launched to hit.

I began panicking, feeling the heat intensify on the table. I pressed my palm down, not noticing the sweat in them, and fell sideways to feeling something big against my fingers. "Huh?" I looked forward, eyeing a peculiar weapon that looked just like the Incinerator, except the weapon consist of four barrels and a long chain of bullets. "Got no choice..." I pushed myself up to the weapon, placing the metal pack on my back, feeling the weight almost pulling me down.

"Ah, so you've found yourself another Incinerator like mine?" The convict said as soon as I showed my face to him. "But how are you going to defeat me if you have no fucking clue how to use it!"

I smirked, keeping myself up from the weight of the pack. "Yeah, I may not know how to use something like this..." I grabbed and used all my arm muscles to lift up the heavy four barrel gun at the convict while stepping out from the table. "But, hey, it's worth a fucking try!" Just as I saw the fire lighting on the Incinerator, I pressed the trigger as the four barrels began spinning.

The convict's eyes widen. "Oh, shit, that's a Mini Gun!" It didn't last long until a barrage of bullets launched at both him and the Incinerator. "F-F-F-F-uuuuuuck!" He yelled, blood appearing from each part of his torso from the bullets and his mouth. He fell down on his knees, then on this face, a puddle of blood formed under his now lifeless body.

I sighed, releasing the trigger of the Mini Gun. I eyed my vault suit sleeves and see more and more rips forming, even on my legs and body. "Damn, I really need new clothing..." I murmured, placing the Mini Gun down. I took a step forward to get the Incinerator until I heard two taps and hissing noises. "Oh no..." I ran behind the table just as the weapon exploded, causing embers of fire flying over the table. Lifting myself up, I peeked over the edge of the table at the small, roaring flames cooking the leader's corpse. "Glad that is not me..." I exhaled in relief.

"Or is it?" I twiast my head to some convict with a mask over his face and a pistol aimed at me. He stood for just three second when a shot was heard, but I didn't get to see where it came from because I flinched and closed my eyes from instinct. I opened my left eye open to see the same guy standing, but with his arm down and pistol still in hand. I noticed blood dripping from the bottom part of his mask as he fell face first.

"Whew, still got it in me!" A light tan, dark gray mid-length hair male with a black shirt and armor over it, gloves, and dark blue jeans. The pistol he had up with both of his hands is now placed in his side gun pouch. He walked to me, with both of his wrists tied together, but stopped and eyed me. "Well, well, what do we have here?" One of his eyebrows raised as he smirked. "You know I have a thing for red heads?"

I wrinkled my nose in disgust at his remark. "Cut this stupid shit, are you Deputy Beagle?"

"Why, yes I am, ma'am! Though if I had a hat on my head, I'll tip it in courtesy." His voice was as smooth, but seemed teasing in a way, which I am not buying it one bit. "But, as you can see," he wrestled his arms to try to break through the ropes, with no avail. "I am pretty much in a predicament, and I will be glad if you can untie and set me free." He held his arms forward at me.

Just something about his sweet talk and kindness seemed to have put me in a rather awkward predicament than his. With quickness, I grabbed his pistol and aimed it on his face. "First off, I am going to ask a few questions before I set you free, got it?!" I hissed.

"Whoa, young lady..." Beagle pushed the pistol to the side with his tied wrists. "I don't think your folks ever tell you not to never aim a loaded gun at a stranger's face, but maybe a little reasoning can help." His eyes shifted downward at my torn up vault suit and my bare skin. "Maybe if I show you a good time and ask me your name, I can answer your questions."

"Why don't I fucking show you a good time with a bullet on your leg," I growled thrtpugh my clenched teeth. "then I can let you rot in here like the rest of the convict's corpse. Now, are you going to answer my questions and cooperate me?"

His eyes widen and shined from the fire behind me. "Fine, I'll answer your questions and tell you what I know, but we still got a bunch of convicts up in the second and third floors. If we clear that problem, then I'll fill in what you need to know. And maybe a little reward?" He reached both his tied hands and used one to hold my chin up.

"Deal, but..." I yanked my head away from his grip and replaced it with his pistol. "I won't set you free so you can scurry on out of here and leave me to the bad boys upstairs. I am going to need your help." I clarified, taking my shotgun out of its holster.

"Lead the way..." He groaned. He followed me towards the nearest metal door, with stairs leading up to the second floor. This sure is going to be a long afternoon...

* * *

**_((Yeah, I know Deputy Beagle isn't like that in the game, but I figure I spiced this story up (and as I said in the beginning that this is an AU). XD See you next chapter, readers! -CS))_**


	9. Chapter 8 - Short Fuse

_**-My Kind of Town Pt. 2-**_

Deputy Beagle took two shots, while his wrists are still tied together, at an oncoming convict, crippling his left leg. "Damn, I don't know why I am dragged into this 'cleaning' job..." Beagle groaned, launching three more shots on the convict's chest, killing him on the spot. "I should probably be back in my shack, maybe guard the building for any oncoming convicts and wait for you t-" a bullet from the left zipped past his head. "Hey, what the fuck is that for!?" He yelled at me.

"If you are going to fucking complain about getting rid of the convicts, I might as well kick back and relax and let you handle all of them." I said, shutting Beagle up in an instant. "It was down to two convicts here in the third level, and with Beagle being a fucking puppy with his tail in between his legs, it was a hectic afternoon. I exhaled sharply, taking one shot at each of the two last convict's head as their heads fell off of their shoulders. "There...done and done..." I stood up, putting my shotgun in its holster on my back...until another rip was heard. I felt the right sleeve of my vault suit ripped right off of its seem. "Great, now my clothing is falling apart..."

Beagle appeared at my side. "Maybe I can help you with that, ma'am. My suggestion would be the burgundy and white striped sleeved outfit. Maybe the tightness will show your figure." He walked over to the dead convict with the said outfit, but even taking the clothing I can hear him starting to hurl. "D-Damn, haven't these guys ever heard of a shower!? And it is really hard trying to strip this guy drown with my hands still tied." He continued stripping the dead body down while making gut wrenching noises.

I rolled my eyes, then began walking slowly towards the lifeless bodies to see any article of clothing I should take. "I can't believe I have such a pansy with me..." I mumbled, until I stopped to see one convicts clothing consist of a long, grayish-brown top with a white under shirt and pants with stitches and chains. The sleeve part are the same way and the bottom half of the pant. "That can work!" I knelt down and carefully took the clothing off of the lifeless body, leaving only a gray shirt and dark gray shorts on his person. With the clothing hung over my left arm, I made my way to the nearest door, only to be stopped by a hand on my shoulder.

"Mind if I help you undress?" Beagle said, sweet talking again. "Only if you untie me, then I-" I made him taste the wooden part of my shotgun, smacking him hard on the left side of his face and tumbled on the floor. "O-Oh god..." His face was near the barely naked corpse, and the sound of hurling came out of him.

I shook my head and growled, putting my shotgun down, leaning against the wall behind me. "Fucking-a..." I mumbled before opening and closing the wooden door to change. I figured instead of saving the vault suit, I unzipped myself down to my undergarments and ripped the cloth into shreds. "Good riddance to that tight piece of garbage..." I murmured, putting on the white undershirt and pants on before the long over coat. I slipped on the hard shoes and the short and long sleeves on my arms, then felt thee looseness of the current outfit compared to the vault suit. "Much better!" I smiled and heading towards their door, opening to Beagle standing up and wiping his mouth of the little saliva he has from the heaving. "Now, are you done loosing your lunch, or do you have more in your gut?"

Beagle leaned forward, placing his tied hands on one of his thighs. "I'm...I'm good, ma'am. I think I got myself covered. Now, shall we head on out so I can get some fresh air from all this smell of dead bodies?" I heard him gulp loudly. "I think I just lost all my pride in front of a woman..."

Pressing the bridge of my nose from annoyance, I grabbed my shotgun from the wall after I clipped my holster back on me and slipped it in the pouch. "Come on, let's get out of here." I walked a few steps and saw a wide brimmed, black hat with a white ribbon around the bottom of the top. I carefully grabbed it, examined to see if any holes or tears are show.I shrugged my shoulders and placed it on my head, smiling with a boost of energy flowing through me. "Let's go, Beagle." I said. Hearing his footsteps shuffle against the carpet behind me, I lead the way to the metal door that leads to the stairs down to the first floor.

"Holy fuck!" Beagle shouted after seeing more lifeless bodies on the first floor once we came to the foot of their stairs. "D...Did you do this all on your own!?" I signified a nod without looking at him. "Shit, I don't think I want to get on your bad side, that's for damn sure. Remind me to ask you for help on getting a backbone next time you're ever around here." Still, his sweet talk isn't phasing me one bit.

Beagle and I are just steps away from the double doors to Primm. I placed my hand on the knob, turning my head to see Beagle. "Now that we have dealt with the convicts, I believe we have a deal that needs to be done. We walk through these doors, you tell me everything I need to know, and you and your coward ass can go free."

"Wait, just one fucking minute, young missy!" Beagle yelled, grunting and struggling through the tightness of his wrists. "How am I having a coward ass!? You see me handle those confounded convicts with ease, even with my hands tied together in a knot. I deserve to be set free before I tell you everything!"

I gave him a snarling glare. "Fine, I can let Nash know about you hurling over some dirty, lifeless, near naked convict, and fucking complaining about taking out the rest of those idiots. Or better yet, I can either take you back there and let you rot, or I can use my shotgun and blow your head away from your shoulders. Which is it going to be? Cooperating with me, a lifetime of humility, wasting your life in here, or losing your head!?" By the tone of my voice, I don't have time for his shit, all I need is the information to track down my would-be killer and his Great Khan ruffians.

Beagle looked away. "Geez, you're a lot more different than any other red head I've seen crossing through Primm. I should be calling you the 'Crimson Dynamite' based on your short fused temper you got." He sighed, sound defeated. "Alright, I'll cooperate with you, just don't tell Nash about what just happened earlier." He waited for me as I opened the door and walked behind me outside. He landed on his knees feet away from the doors that I closed. "Oh my god! I'm finally out!" He knelt down and started missing the gravel.

I walked over to his head and picking him up to his feet. "Alright, now that the both of us are out, time to put out your part of the bargain." Beagle eyed me and just nod silently. "I ask looking for three people, two Great Khans and a checker suit wearing guy that shot me a few nights ago. I need to catch up to them, and Nash told me you are the one that knows where they went."

"Indeed I do!" Beagle smirked. "Now that my mind is a lot more clearer since we are outside, I'll tell you everything I know." I eyed directly at Beagle. "I was out skul-" he hesitated for a few seconds. "er...performing recon on them Powder Gangers, when a couple of those Khans you mentioned walked by with that fancy suit friend of yours."

I crossed my arms and glared coldly at him. "He's not my friend, Beagle. Friends don't just shoot anybody at random in the head. Continue..." I clarified, bluntly.

"Anyways..." Beagle continued. "I over heard them talking about taking some package away from a courier, assuming it is you, huh?" I nodded yes at him, much to his surprise. "Hmm, interesting. Well, what I also heard from them is that they are headed to Novac to meet with a contact. If you follow the road through the street south and head left, you will com across a town call Nipton. Go pass there, and over a mountain passage, you'll see your next destination that has a huge dinosaur. Can't miss it." He moved and jerked both of his tied wrists. "Mind setting me free, I told you all I know..."

"As promised." I said, taking out as huge, sharp knife from my pocket after snatching it away from one of the dead corpse in the hotel. With one string on the blade's edge, I cut it, having Beagle separate his arms and removing the string off his wrists.. "Well, what are you going to do now? Think you can have the balls and protect this town?" I asked, putting the knife away.

Beagle sighed. "I'm afraid not, ma'am. I ain't a deputy no more ever since I found out my sister and brother-in-law of a sheriff are killed by those Powder Gangers. Only to have this place safe is if a new sheriff takes in. My best option is an ex-sheriff going by the name Primm Slimm, who is being held in the NCR Correctional Facility." Beagle somehow grinned. "Man, if you'd become sheriff, I know where to keep my distance if I were a convict. Now, about that reward for rescuing me...how's about a little kiss in the cheek?"

He held his right cheek at me, expecting me to press my lips against _that_? With a disgust look and my knuckles cracked, I figure I would give him something else than a kiss. "On second thought, I got a surprise for you." He didn't expect anything when I gave him a good uppercut to the jaw, sending him stumbling down to the ground. "I don't have an interest in guys who might act tough but is actually a weak stomach, perverted coward..." I eyed at his shocked expression before I turned and walked away from him towards south. "That was the worse experience of saving somebody's ass from a group of thugs I've ever come across." I said to myself.

* * *

It didnt take me long to find the Highway 15 road leading south on my way to Novac, I fought off a few Powder Gangers that tried to ambush me from behind after my departure from Primm. I even stopped near a small building called the Nevada Highway Patrol station that was overrun by a group of people I heard call themselves the Jackals. I used my Pip Boy to switch from my shotgun to a 10mm pistol to conserve the ammo, and eradicate them all in a few shots from the outside to the inside. "Well, that takes care of that!" I said, spinning my pistol with my finger before putting back in the side pouch.

_Skiddeh-skii..._I heard a small sound coming from the metal door to my right. Walking to the door and swung it open, a small mantis appeared and tried to hit me. After a little reminder from Sunny about conserving weapons when dealing with this kind of bug, I used my shoe and squashed the mantis, only to see a small puddle of its juices seeping out.

"Ugh, what am I doing...I need to get to Novac and quick if I were to catch up to those goons." I said, running out of the door and following the road down. While running, I see a bunch of things around me such as a small sandy area infested with huge ants, geckos up on the mountain side feeding on a big roach, and a couple of statues standing on top of a huge, steep incline upwards. I took the road that leads up a small hill towards the west, seeing as couple of those small ants walking across it. "Shit..." I had the urge to take my pistol out and shoot them, but I decided to just walk slowly and unprovoked. One of the ants turned to me, making me get to the offensive.

_Snap, snap! _was all that ant ever did before it turned and skitter along with the other ant. I sighed, relieving away from the tension. I turned around and to where the two roads meet at a corner. I eyed to my west, noticing black smoke trailing up a faraway area.

"What's that?" I gasped, knowing that black smoke probably something bad is happening. Pushing my legs forward, I ran toward the smoke as quick as I can, passing by several ants in the surrounding area. I noticed someone running towards me, almost like he is cheering.

"WHOO! I won the lottery! Can you just smell it in the air, ah, damn!" He cheered as he ran past me.

I eyed him while I ran with an eyebrow. "The fuck is going on with him?" I murmured before turning my head around to what's ahead of me. "W-What the-!?" My eyes widen as I slowed to a halt to what appears to be a town up in flames. I looked around the area, seeing tires piled and burning as it leaves a burnt rubber smell in the air, heads sitting on a three pointed stick standing up, and people hanging on some kind of cross. "Oh my god...who could've done this!?" I began walking slowly, readied my pistol in my right hand and swiftly kept my guard up for anything to pounce at me. I kept walking, passing by a building with a sign saying 'Nipton Trading Post' towards a road perpendicular to the road I am walking that trails to a huge building. I stopped, seeing a little rock bouncing by my feet. "Something's not ri-" Next thing I know, I was tackled to the ground face first.

"Stay down, profligate!" Someone yelled from atop my back. I felt some small barrel touching the back of my skull, maybe a shotgun like mine. Out of nowhere, about four men with guns pointing at me wearing dark red and brown type of armor with their faces completely cover except their eyes. My only question is: who are they!?


	10. Chapter 9 - Dye in Crimson

**_-Cold, Cold, Heart-_**

"Dare try to move, profligate," the person on me with his gun pointed at the back of my skull threatened. "You will taste lead in a few seconds if you decide to resist, in the name of Caesar!" He pressed the barrel hard on my head, making my face bury on the ground below me. "Tell me, are you neither NCR or those scum you call Powder Gangers?"

I tried to shift my face to the side to see the guy shoving his gun at my head. Sure enough, his face was covered, even his eyes covered in some weird looking sunglasses. "Look..." I said, coughing and spitting the dirt out of my mouth. "I have no fucking clue who you or this...Kaizar..." I think that's how it spells... "And I am neither those NCR troops or those Powder Ganger pansies! I am only myself, searching f-" the man on me shoved the gun on my temple really hard, making me stop talking as I yell in pain.

I heard a click from his shotgun, probably the hammer. "Then a spy, you are! Trying to vie your way and eradicate the bull!? I'll show you low lifes how us, the Legion, teach you a lesson!"

"That's enough, young Corwin. No need to shoot her..." I heard some footsteps north of me scuffing on the gravel towards me, somehow feeling the gun being removed off of my head. "Tie her hands together and lift her up, I want to see her face and let her witness the fate of the town of Nipton."

"Y-Yes!" I felt the guy getting off of my back as he is ordered and tied some thick rope around both of my wrists. "You there, help me lift to her feet!" I don't know who exactly this 'Corwin' was talking to other than the fact that I hear a scuffle from the right coming towards me. Two hands grabbed my upper arms, probably from the two guys behind me, and hoist me up to my feet.

"Remove the hat..." The guy in front of me spoke, sound of his walking grew closer. "I can't let a victim like her not see the faces of the enemy." My hat was removed from my head and face, revealing another male with the same garb as the rest of the others. But the only difference that made him stand out from everyone else is the headwear that resembles some kind of wild canine. Wish I can figure out what it is, but my damn amnesia just left a huge blank. His eyes are also covered in some small, black goggles.

I struggled for a bit, but the strength from the guys holding from behind were too strong. I fixed my gaze at the one in front of me. "What in the hell are you going to do to me!? I have nothing to do with those Powder Gangers here!" I said, seeing the male up front stopped feet from me with his arms behind his back.

"You're lucky I was not ordered by Caesar to make women like you into slaves of the Legion, or be crucified like the ones you see before you." He began speaking in a calm but foreboding tone, which made me cringe in fear. "Don't worry, I am not planning to lash you on a cross like those degenerates you call Powder Gangers. But, seeing you here before me, you can be quite useful for us if you wish to accept."

"Why would you want a stranger to do you murderer's favors?" I hissed through my clenched teeth. "And on the side note, who are you and what have you done to the people and the town of Nipton!?"

"My name is of no important..." He calmly spoke again. "But I will say that I do want you to witness the fate of this ill fated, sullied town of Nipton, to memorize every detail, even the smaller ones. And then..." He paused, unmoved by my fury in my eyes. "when _you_ move on?" He took a few steps forward, holding my chin up to his face with his extended, right arm. "I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Caesar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across to."

I jerked my head away from his fingers, glaring back at him with cold eyes. "And what are these 'lessons' you taught to these innocent people? They have nothing to do to you!"

"Innocent!?" He scoffed. "Hardly... But where to begin? They are of the weak, and we are of the strong? This much was already know." He crossed his arms over his armor. "But the depths of their moral sickness , their...dissolution? Nipton serves as the perfect object lesson of their sins."

I lowered my brows, confusion riddled in my complexion. "Moral sickness? Dissolution? What do you mean!? What in the hell happened here!?" I jerked around, hoping to break free from the 'Legion's' hold, but yet no avail.

The leader shook his head. "Stubbornness...I pity you, but why pity the weak if the bull's horns has put you on a lock? You see, Nipton was a wicked place, debased and corrupt. It serves all comers, as long as they got paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers, men of the Legion such as myself..." He eyed the east. "the people here didn't care. It was a town of whores..." He looked directly back at me. "For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when I sprang it did they realized they were caught inside it, too." He gave me as wicked grin.

"S-So..." I felt distraught, horrified by the actions this guy is talking about. "you...captured everyone? Into a trap!?" My voice all shaken up from fear.

The leader nodded, his grin disappeared into a neutral line. "Yes, and herded them in the center of town. I told them their sins, the foremost being disloyalty. I told them that when Legionaries are disloyal, some are punished, others were made to watch. And I announced the lottery."

"Lottery!? You mean-" I looked back at that guy that ran the opposite direction from where I was running, screaming about winning the lottery. "You mean the lottery...it was all about who gets to live or die!?"

His smirked curled back up. "Ah, for a moment that a female like you would have a brain of gecko. It seems your intelligence has fascinated me...but to the Legion, men are hailed as the dominant of the two genders. Women- size, color, or features- are treated as slaves to our every will. We flourished our seeds to those 'inhumane' gender to make more of an army; killing the female newborn while we raise the male to fight like every one of u-"

"Shut up!" I yelled, making him a stop talking. "Your fucking ways of an army and treating women like they are the dirt from under your feet. Killing off innocent people to spread your 'words of the Legion' and making their loved ones watch and suffer." I began squirming more, trying to break free from the hold. "You're not an army of righteousness, you're just want to dye this area full of crimson! That's unforgivable!" I continued to squirm myself out of the Legion's grip.

The leader stood silent with his arms still crossed. "Unforgivable, you say? As are all crimes. It seems we should teach you a lesson in the way of standing against the Legion. Corwin, do the honors. Lord Caesar is awaiting at the Fort. And try not to kill her, I rather let her live until such time is needed."

"Yes, Vulpes!" I felt his hand on my left moved away, until something hard his the back of my head hard. "Lessoned learn, profligate." was all I heard before I blacked out on the spot.

* * *

I can't figure out how long I have been unconscious after being struck by...whatever object hit on the back of my head by those Legion goons. I remembered I was lying flat on my stomach back in Nipton, but for some reason, I am feeling something soft against my back.

_"-or dear. I hope she comes out of it soon..." _A...A female voice? Where am I exactly!?

_"Give her time, Jeannie. She's starting to stir." _Another voice, but this time it was a male's voice. I slowly opened my eyes to two figures above me, but it was all a blur at first. After several blinks, the image became vivid as I see a well-built male with black facial hair, dark skin tone, brown eyes, some uniform with a gun and some kind of headwear. "Good, she's awake..." His voice sounded like he is in relief.

I heard another sigh, coming from a middle age woman with glasses, white hair in a bun, and a tan dress. "Oh, thank heavens! I was worried that those traveling merchants would bring in another dead body. I am so sorry about what happened to you, I hope you can rest up a little more."

I opened my eyes more to see the two. _Man, déjà vu, all over again..._I thought as I carefully used my arms to push myself to a sitting position before eyeing the two mysterious figures. "Wha..." I began to speak, rubbing my head with my hand, though I don't feel my hat on there. "Where am I? And who are you? And who brought me over here?"

The old lady gave a heart warming smile. "Why, you are in Novac, miss! I am Jeannie May Crawford and I own the Dino Dee-Lite motel, the one room you are lying in! Me and Manny Vargas, one of my special snipers, have heard a commotion by a couple of traveling caravan merchants carrying you to here from Nipton. They told me that town is up in flames by those dastardly Legion they came across about three hours ago."

"THREE HOURS!?" I yelled, standing off of the bed I didn't know I was lying on and up to my feet in shock. "I WAS OUT FOR THREE WHOLE HOURS!?" I felt a wave of dizziness overshadowing my consciousness.

The one called Manny put his hands on my shoulders and gently pushed me down. "Whoa, take it easy there. No need to flip out over a little black out. I don't want you getting all worked up again after you've just woken up from your unconsciousness." He let his hands dropped down. "I already took the liberty of purchasing this room for you to Ms. Crawford here so you can rest up more before you get back to your feet."

"Well, that is until the busy season comes around." Jeannie said, smiling more. "But I do hope you enjoy your stay here in Novac."

I lowered my brows, staying silent for a short moment before shrugging. "Well, since I am in town, I guess I need to ask around to see if they have seen a guy wearing a checker suit with a couple of Khans."

The expression in Manny's face changed drastically. "Checker suit guy? Well, I seem to have know him. Why are you searching for him?" He asked, putting his arms across his chest.

"I got a score to settle with him." I answered bluntly. "He took something of mine before shooting me in the head, and I want answers. I have been tracking him down since Goodsprings." I stopped for a second to retract what Manny said. "Wait, you know who the checker suit guy is?!"

"Well, I'll leave you two be. I need to finish tidying up before I hit the hay. Be careful, miss!" Jeannie got up off of a chair and walked out of the barely lit room.

Manny sat on the same chair Jeannie sat on. "In a way, yes. But that doesn't surprise me. Guy seemed like he'd do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Probably for his own self gain." He paused, then looked at me with his serious eyes. "Listen, I can definitely help you find him, but I've got problems of my own. Maybe we can do a trade. You need my help, and there is something I need done, if you are up for it."

I looked down at the dirty floor, contemplating. _If this Manny is true about knowing this checker suit guy and help with my needs, I guess a fair trade should do..._I thought before I glare back at Manny with a nod. "Alright, I'm in. What do you need?"

Manny smiled. "You see, this town Novac, its a home for me now. I want that to be for good. I like it here, and I've left too many homes before. But, the only resource we have here are mostly junk. Without that, people wouldn't have anything to trade. They'd all have to leave. We get most of it up the road from the old rocket test sight until the ghouls showed up one day and took over it."

"So," I spoke up. "you want me to get rid of these ghouls so everyone here in Novac can get more 'junk' over here? Why couldn't you do it?"

"In a way, yes," Manny answered, but shook his head. "but I can't just leave here and leave Novac unattended. This place would be a ghost town if they crawled their way here. Just as long as that problem has been taken care of, it's fine by me. So, do we have as deal?" Manny extended his arm out to me.

I just simply smiled and grabbed his hand to shake. "Alright, let's hope this doesn't get me killed." I laughed. "Hey, do you think I can check the area out before I have to leave? I like to get better acquainted with this town."

Manny smiled back. "Of course, just make sure you stay here during the nighttime. Can't let you get captured or get killed." He got up the same time I stood up and walked to the door. He twist the knob and swung the door inwards, showing the night filled town as soon as I stepped out of my room. "You're welcome to see the view of the mouth of Dinkie the Dinosaur. It's still my watch shift. Maybe you can have a better view on what is going on onwards."

"Oh, thank you!" I squealed with a smile. "I'll make sure to take care of my bargain of the deal in a few minutes!" I carefully went down the metal stairs down to the ground and ran over to the door on top of a small, wooden flight of stairs. I swung the door open, just seeing a counter with a cash register, a little reptile toy, and a radio. "Hmm, I wonder where the view might be at?" Observing the area carefully, I stopped to see another flight of stairs leading to another door. "Hmm, that must be it..." I scaled up the stairs, careful not to take a misstep, and made it to the top.

"Come on you Legion bastards, show your fucking faces." I heard a new a new voice coming from the other side of the door.

_Huh? Who's that? _I thought, opening the door to whatever is behind it...only to see a gun pointing at my face. I froze, my gaze locked at the open barrel as I hope my head won't explode like those geckos I shot off. "Uhh...hi?" Those were the only words that came out of my mouth.


	11. Chapter 10 - Trusting a Stranger?

_**-One for my Baby-**_

"Damn it, don't fucking sneak up on me like that!" I was about to see the view from the mouth of the huge dinosaur I just recently entered until this guy has his end if his gun point directly at my face. I eyed the mysterious stranger, his muscle tone body, his tan shirt, dark brown pants with boots over the bottom. He also wear sunglasses and a berret that looks like the one Manny Vargas is wearing. "Are you part of the Legion, acting as a spy for them!?"

I flinched, flabbergasted by the assumption. "Whoa, hold on big fella!" I said, moving the barrel away from my face. "Look, I don't know who you are, but you shouldn't be assuming any stranger is Legion or anything. All I was doing is to get acquainted to th-"

"That's enough!" He interrupted me. "If you are looking for something in particular, I need you to leave. There is nothing to see here but a 1st Recon and his sniper rifle..." He paused to look at me, his expression still hard, though his eyes are still hiding behind his sunglasses. "unless, you're not from around here..."

I raised an eye brown. "Correct. I came over here all the way to find a checker suit guy who shot me in the head and took something of mine." I showed him my horrendous scar, though his posture with the rifle in his hands remained unmoved. "But, what I've heard from Manny is that a couple of merchants sought me in the devastated Nipton. I was knocked unconscious by the Legion." I sighed quietly. "But if you want me to leave, I ca-"

"Wait..." The guy interrupted me again, much to my surprise. He stayed motionless for a moment, then placed his rifle in the holster. "maybe you shouldn't go. Not just yet. I don't know if you are lying or not, I need someone to trust. A stranger maybe, that's a start."

I felt my heart thumped against my chest, but the hint if apprehension inside my gut made me wonder. "Wait, do you trust strangers?"

His face harden again. "I said its a fucking start!" The tone of his voice made me feel like I'm shrinking with intimidation. "But, this town...hardly anyone looked at me in the eyes. They probably assume I might snap and shoot straight in between their eyes if contact was made. But I am surprised you are still standing, eyeing me." His expression soften a bit, still leaving a stern frown. "I need you to find something out for me, though I don't know if there's anything to find, but I need someone to try."

I released all of the unwanted tension, hoping he doesn't see my hairs standing on ends. "What that might be, if I may ask?" I spoke.

"My wife was taken from my home by the Legion slavers one night while I was on watch." He replied, crossing his arms on his chest. "They knew when to come and what route to take, and they only took Carla. Someone set it up, and I don't know who."

"So," I spoke up. "you're trying to track down your wife? Where do I come into your personal life?" I don't know why the business of relationships made me tick. Just probably because I'm not in it? Might as well shrug off the negative atmosphere before a bullet is lodged into my forehead.

"Personal..." He repeated the word. "That's the main reason why I am tracking her. She's dead, and I want that son if a bitch who sold her. I want you to bring that person in front of this statue so I can handle it myself." He took of his beret and tossed it to me. "I normally don't take my beret off to anyone, I hate to say you're an exemption. That NCR beret of mine, put it on as a signal, that way I know you are standing next to him."

I eyed his beret in my hand before placing it in my leather coat pocket. "I'll see what I can do to help you out. Even if it means taking all night with no sleep."

He nodded. "Good, I'll make it worth your while. And one more thing, we should not speak again until this is over. No one knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know, or the Legion will be after me next. Or maybe you since I've told you everything, and you've already had a little experience with them. Now, go." He took his rifle out from behind him and turned to face the opening.

I just nod before turning to open the door to the inside of the dinosaur. Walking down the stairs, I took out his beret and took a quick look at it. "_'The last thing you ever seen'_" I read the small letters that are under some animal skull and a couple of rifles made into an X figure. I got out of building and down the wooden stairs, quickly putting the beret in my pocket when I saw both Jeannie and Manny standing and taking near the hotel door. "Hey, there!" I ran up to the two.

"Oh, it's you again..." Jeannie said, but stopped for a second. "I'm so sorry, dearie. It appears we haven't go your name when you've woke up."

I twitch. "Shit, where are my manners!" I chuckled, face palming myself from my lack of courtesy. "I am Crimson. And I was wondering if you two know anything about that other sniper's wife."

The two's eyes widen and stared directly at me. "Kind of a weird question to ask us." Manny said, crossing his arms. "Let's just say that woman tried to take him away and moved back to New Vegas. Me and her argue a lot, we don't see eye to eye. She didn't want one friend in this town, hell, not anyone. If you'd meet her, you wouldn't like her." He sighed. "She was really rude."

"I'm afraid to say that I do agree with Manny here." Jeannie added. "Hmm, how should I put this...she was like a cactus flower- pretty to look at but you can't seem to get near her. She never did take to living here. She liked the big lights and fast living of New Vegas. But, I got the feeling she was trying to get him to leave with her, I guess she got tired of waiting, maybe. Well, I need to get back home, tomorrow's a new day!" Jeannie waved with a smile as she walked off.

Manny still eyed me. "By the way you were asking that question, I figured you've already met the other sniper, Boone. I'm surprised he isn't dragging your dead body to the dumpster just because you scared the living hell out of him. Well, whatever made him ask you for information about his wife, just hope you don't go on his bad side." Manny walked away from me and went inside his room.

I looked down on the ground. "I can bet on that..." I murmured. I twist my body to the left and ran through the gates and made a hard right, only to bump on someone and landed on the gravel. "I'm sorry, sir!" I looked up at an old guy with whitefish gray hair with facial hair and some weird kind of clothing.

"Hmm, dare someone tried to bump into No Bark without paying attention?" He began to speak. "You are lucky I don' have Ol' Sticky armed in my hand at you. It's been feeling mighty ornery these days."

I snapped my head, with a confused glare, at him. "Excuse me, what!?" My voice rose an octave. "I don't know what kind of mumbo jumbo shit you are spatting out, but I didn't mean to bump into you. I mean no harm to anyone here." I picked myself back to my feet. "I'm just here asking for any information on this Boone's wife's abduction."

"Ah, my feller," No-Bark spoke. "I've seen it all with me own eyed. Seen shadowy folk come from his room and leave in the middle of the night. Thought one might've gone in the lobby, too, for a spell. Could be the person went in to get something, or used the john maybe! Mighty interesting either way, if you ask me. But I thought it was cannibals!" He spread his arms wide in the air. "Comin' to eat us all! So, I kept out of sight , but I know better.."

"Cannibals?" I asked, tilting my head slightly to the right. "Just exactly who they are?" I crossed my arms, maybe listen on to this crazy, maybe delusional, geezer.

No-Bark dropped his arms down. "Molerat men, come up from the Underneath to steal young women with promises of rich and fancy mud mansions with the latest designer appliances. They covet the ladyfolk's long hair for wigs, it said, being either bald or balding themselves! I believe you must investigate elsewhere, and tell no one that we've spoken..." No-Bark walked away from me, spouting out more shit out of nowhere.

Disappointed, I buried my face in one of my hands. "Well, I definitely wasted a fucking minute of my life..." I groaned, looking back up and eyed around. "Surely I can find a way to take back that minute, but all am at is a fucking de-" I stopped mid sentence and realized something that No-Bark said. "Lobby..." I repeated. "Meaning the Dino Dee-Lite lobby that I've never been into?" I turned around and see a door just closest to me.

_"Thought one might've gone in the lobby, too, for a spell." _No-Bark's words echoed in my head, remembering about seeing shadowy folk, preferably the Legion.

"There!" I ran to the door and swung it open, only seeing a simply room with couches, a desk, a vendine machine, etc. "Huh...where to find something in this room." I walked around and eyed the desk, with some computer and drawers I can look into. I simply jumped over the desk and opened the drawers, seeing nothing but bottle caps, which I took, and blank pieces of paper. "Damn it! Where the hell could it be!?" I growled, walking over to the filing cabinets until I heard a sound. "What the-" I stepped away, hearing the same sound again. I looked down, seeing some floor board sticking up like a sore thumb that wassomewhat covered in papers. I knelt down and pulled up the board, eyeing what appears to be a safe. Main question is: how to open it?

_"I know a way to get into a safe."_ My head began to throb as another image of my memory popped up from my mind. I am now seeing some guy I don't recognize showing me how to open up a safe. _"With just only a simply bobby pin and a screwdriver, all you need to do is look for the 'sweet spots', as they call it, and try you best to get it to open without breaking the bobby pin."_ The images, along with the intense pain, faded away.

"A...bobby pin and a screwdriver?" I asked myself. "How in the hell am I going to find one of those!?" I looked around, but spotted several bobby pins and a screwdriver in a drawer I looked into before. "Let's see...if I remember in the memory on how to do so..." I inserted the bobby pin into the top if there lock and turned it fifteen degrees to the right. With the screwdriver, I tried turning the bottom portion, only to stop then and there. "Okay...that didn't work..." I turned the pin about sixty degrees to the left, then used my screwdriver. Luckily, it turned the bottom up and made the safe opened up. When I lifted the door up, the first thing I noticed way a small envelope leaning against the walk of the safe. "'Bill of Sale'?" I read the words as I grabbed it and opened up, taking out a tri-folded piece of paper with words in it. I skimmed it quickly, until the name left me horrorstrucked. "J...Jeannie...May Crawford!?" The nice lady turned out to be a sadistic slave trader!?

I mashed my teeth together, clenching on the piece of paper and shook with anger. "That bitch...why fucking sell her off to the Legion!?" Now I feel really, really bad for this Boone guy for having his wife being sold off as a slave. Not only that, her and the unborn child. I folded the paper back up and put it in my coat pocket. Closing the safe and putting the board down, I got up quickly and made a run to the direction where Jeannie went to. I noticed her walking out of her house, so I decided mask a facade. "Ms. Crawford! You've got to help me!" I placed my hands on her shoulders, acting as if I am in dire need.

Jeannie began puzzled, her eyes widen at my actions. "Good heavens, Crimson, what seems to be the problem?"

I still kept a frightened look. "Please, I-I-I think you need to look at the dinosaur's mouth! There might be some large cracks, and I think the jaw is going to collapse! You need to come with me, now!" Without her asking why, I grabbed her wrist and sprinted our way to the front of the structure. We got to the front as quickly as possible before I spun Jeannie's body around, facing it. "D-Do you see it!" I pointed up, hoping to distract her as I slowly crept backwards up the rock.

Jeannie looked up, staring at it in silence, just enough for me to be in Boones view so I can put the beret on quietly. "Crimson, I have no idea why you brought me here, but I don't see any damage to it. You sure there is a problem?"

"Yes, there is..." My voice changed to a darker, more spiteful one. "You're the problem for Boone's suffering, old hag!" I looked up at Boone and put the beret on as a signal. Jeannie was about to see me before her head exploded by Boone's bullet. I looked up, seeing Boone's rifle pointing at me. I know for a fact that he is eyeing me through his scope, I just gave him a nod before running back to the dino building. It didn't take me long before reaching the door, only to have it automatically opened.

Boone is the one that opened the door, glaring at me. "Jeannie May Crawford?" He spoke. "How did know it was her?"

My face drooped to a sympathetic and apologetic expression once I pulled the Bill of Sales out of my coat pocket. "I found this in her safe in the lobby. It's a Bill of Sale."

Boone's facial expression remained unchanged. He took the envelope from me and placed it in his pocket. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised...it be like them keeping the paperwork." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of bottle caps, handing it to me. "Here, this is all I can give you. I think our dealings are done here..."

I remained quiet, eyeing the bag of bottle caps resting in his palm. I sighed, taking his beret off my head and onto his hand over the bag, pushing his hand back to him. "You keep it. I think you need it more than I do if you are going to survive in the wasteland. As much as I do want to say I feel bad for you," I eyed at his hard glare. "though...hell, I should be saying that right now because I feel really bad, and sorry about what happened to your wife. But...what am I doing still standing here. I better get moving if I am going to take care of the ghoul problem for Manny." Without looking at him, I turned around to the direction where my room is at. "Have a good night, Boone..." I walked away, going to sleep to settle Manny's problem in the morning.

* * *

_-Boone-_

I stared at the red head's back for a while just as she was reaching the metal stairs, my mind all perplexed about her declining my offer of what caps I have on me. I backed away from the door and closed it, turning back to the long, flight of stairs to the nest. "How did she know my name if I hadn't told her?" I questioned myself. "Unless it was Vargas that told her that..."

_"As much as I do want to say I feel bad for you, though...hell, I should be saying that right now..." _Those words that she said to me, yeah, she did help me find the son of a bitch that sold Carla...but why did she say that? And that expression she made while saying that, for some reason it kind if stung...inside.

"Fuck..." I mashed my teeth together, almost a grinding sound was heard. "why am I taking it seriously to some red head I don't fucking know!" I clenched my hands, maybe try and forget about everything that just happened today. But...then again...maybe...maybe I can ask her...

* * *

_**((I bet everyone is wondering why Boone's POV is there. Well, it's all part of the story. You'll get to see this in most, not all, chapters of the story. And, of course, chapters will be longer when it comes to this. See you in the next chapter! -CS))**_


	12. Chapter 11 - Not-So-Cooperative Pair

**_-Come Fly with Me Pt. 1-_**

I woke up the following morning to the sun penetrating through the curtain's center on my eyes. "Morning already?" I groaned, shifting myself in the covers of my bed to the right. I didn't get much sleep after last night's predicament, finding out that the nice-but-two-faced Jeannie May Crawford sold the other sniper's wife to the Legion. Reason why is that I, myself, had a dream about being a slave to them, which constantly made me wake up every fifteen minutes. "Well, guess I don't feel like sleeping any longer..." I got up, stretching my arms up into the air as I yawned. The only types of clothing I wore before going to bed were the white undershirt and pants. My coat, sleeves, and boots are in my cabinet. I even have my Pip Boy still equipped on my left arm, reading 8:24 AM on the top right hand corner.

A few small taps was heard through my door as I was about to get off the bed. "Crimson, you there?" It was Manny, giving a few more knocks on the door.

I quickly got up and walked over to the door, rubbing my tired eyes. I opened up the door as I yawned and eyed Manny in the doorway. "Hey...Manny..." My voice is a bit sluggish due to my fatigue. "What brings you here? Shouldn't you be at your post right now?"

"I was coming over to see if you are still going over to that REPCONN Test Site to handle the ghoul problem for me." He informed me, his arms folded over his torso. "And plus, how did things go with Boone? I hope he didn't give you a cold shoulder with his bitterness."

I went silent, remembering that moment where I showed Boone, last night, the Bill of Sale that was in Jeannie's safe with remorse. "It..." I hesitated, trying to figure out what to say without telling Manny about what happened to his wife. "I-It went well, I guess.." I smiled weakly, hoping he'll buy it.

"That's good, though I wish I can say the same for me." Manny replied, sighing sharply. "After Carla went missing, I was the first one he told me. Though maybe the reason as to why Boone haven't talked to me since, probably because he saw that I was glad that bitch left. Good ridda-" he stopped as soon as I slammed the door on his face. Everything went dead silent until his footsteps trailed away from the door.

It felt like my eyes are stinging from the harsh words Manny told me about his his hatred weith Boone's wife, just the rage boiling in my blood made me slammed my fist on the door. "Fucking asshole..." I grumbled, walking over to the fridge to get something to eat. I opened the door, seeing a few different kinds of food on each of the three shelves. I wish I can figure out which is which, but damn checker suit guy gave me amnesia. II first eyed the meat on a long stick and took one piece of it into my mouth. After several chews, I swallowed it, but made a disgust face. "It's okay, but the aftertaste is disgusting..." I immediately eyed the red, round thing on the second shelf and grabbed it. After taking a bite, my eyes lit up with satisfaction. "Mmm! Pretty good!"

A few knocks was heard on my door, but it was louder than before. Must be Manny wanting to vent out his anger on me from slamming the door on his face. I closed the fridge door with the food item still on my hand after I took another bite. "Fucking- a, Manny..." I stormed towards the door, still having food in my mouth. "If you got something to fucking say, I don't want to fucking hear it! So make it qu-" I swung the door, but immediately spit out the little contents of the mashed food from shock to Boone's face. My face flushed with embarrassment.

"Nice..." Boone said through his clenched teeth, grabbing a cloth from his pocket and wiped away the particles, and my saliva, off of his face. "I bet you have a fucking good reason why you spouted out nonsense, and food on my face." I can tell he is not happy about what just did to him.

"S-Sorry, Boone..." I stuttered, still feeling embarrassed about my little stunt. "I-I was just caught off guard when I saw you after I opened the door. I thought it was Manny, figure he would rant me out after I slammed the door on his face. I got ma-" I stopped to hear a slight chuckle coming out of Boone's throat, surprising me.

"If I were you," Boone turned his head to the left, almost look like the corner of his lips twitching, as if he was about to smile. "I would slam the door harder, just to get him to feel the pain I have endured for a while." He snapped his head back at me with his usual stern. The sunlight from outside shined through his glasses, seeing his vengeful eyes staring directly at me. "But that's not the fucking reason why I came here."

I lowered my eyebrows, staring back at him. "Then, what?" I asked.

Boone crossed his arms and sighed. "Since you've helped me sort out the problem I have been trying to finish since the day my wife left..." He stopped, biting his lip. "Let's just say I've over heard you talking to Varges before I went into my room about some ghoul problem at a test sight just across the street from here..." He stopped talking again, growling about about something.

_Okay, now this conversation is getting weird...but I never expect someone like him to pause so suddenly. _I thought, confused. _Is he also like this to anybody, besides the Legion I mean? _I wish I can ask that, but I don't have much time in my hands as I need to get to the test sight as soon as possible. "Boone, if you got something to say, just fucking say it!" I told him directly.

Boone eyed me, snapping out of his little silent treatment. "I was hoping to help you handle the problem..." He said, straightforward. "Those ghouls out there, they are quick to attack but slow to reason. It might take two to take care of them."

My eyes widen. _Is...is he serious!? _I thought. I was hoping to handle the situation on my own, but after hearing what Boone told me about the ghouls it kind of made me wonder if I _should _handle it myself. "Alright..." I sighed, defeated. "I guess an extra hand won't hurt me..."

"But," Boone added, grabbing my attention quickly. "just because I am helping you doesn't mean we are considered allies in arms. All I am doing is to make sure you don't get killed by a hoard of mindless ghouls, and Novac would probably end up as a ghost town in a matter of minutes."

"Hmm, that's kind of a rare event to see." I saw Boone moving aside, making room for Manny to show himself at the doorway. "I figure Boone here would be back in his little dark cave, but it seems he has a little interest in the newcomer and decide to help take care of the ghouls up at the test sight."

I flinched, my face flushed and hot. "W-W-W-Wait! Were you listening in!?" I didn't realize I dropped my food onto the floor.

Boone's expression shifted to a more irritated glare, clenching he teeth hard. "First of all, Varges, I am not interested in her!" He growled through his teeth. "Second, I was asking if I can assist her on her mission. This has nothing to do with you whatsoever!" Boone shift his gaze at me. "Be ready in five minutes, or I'll leave without you!" He swiftlky walked past Manny, hearing his footsteps trailed down the metal stairs.

Manny looked to the side with his arms crossed on his chest. "Throughout the years I have known and seen him, I have never seen or hear him deny anything." He looked right at me. "Is there something the two of you did that I should know about?"

My face flushed a few shades darker, either by embarrassment or his fuxcking stupid question. "Other an helping his find something and settle a score out, fuck no! And if you assume I might be just some random woman who would try to woo a damaged man just to get in his pants, you got another fucking thing coming!" Now I'm starting to feel like Boone now that Manny is near me.

"Okay..." Manny said, unmoved. "But may I ask you this, even though he is under martial status: do you seem to like him because the way your face turned red?"

"Fuck off..." I slammed the door once again, fucking tick as hell. I heard him walking away from the door and down the steps outside and out of audible range. "Fucking waste of my time..." I mumbled, walking over to get my stuff ready along with my shotgun. After everything is set, I made my way to and through the door, locking it from the outside once I got out. I hurried on down to the lower level and see Boone standing with his arms crossed against his chest. "Let's get this over with before all hell breaks lose..." I began walking, with Boone behind me, out through the gate and followed the road up west to the test site.

"Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit," I stopped and twist my head to the left see Victor standing feet from me. "if it ain't my old friendfriend from Goodsprings!"

My eyes widen at the mechanical figure. "Victor!? What are you doing here in Novac!?" I hate to say, I'm either surprised or apprehensive about his encounter for the third time.

Victor's three claw hand grinded the top of his metallic body. "Don't rightly know...I just got the notion to make my way here to New Vegas. Reckon I'll find out when I get there. But seeing how this is the only road around, I'd be more surprised if we didn't run into each other from time to time."

I smugly glared at him. "_Well_, it is _nice _to see a _friendly_ face out here." I bet he won't get the hint of sarcasm in my voice.

Victor just chuckled. "Likewise, pardner, likewise! Is there anything old Vic can do for you? And what about your intimidating friend behind you that looks like he is about to punch my body?"

My eyebrows raised, turning to see Boone eyeing at Victor with some sort of death glare. Great, if I don't act fast, I'm afraid something bad would happen here. "I'm sorry, Vic..." I grabbed Boone's nearest wrist and pulled him. "we've got to go!" I began running, tugging Boone with me and out of Novac.

* * *

It took us about several minute to be out of Novac and almost towards the train tracks when Boone came up to my side. I took a quick peek in the corner of my eye at him, seeing his eyes visible behind his sunglasses on side view. "Give me one good reason not to shoot at you point blank in between the eyes!" Boone murmured, loud enough for me to hear. While walking, he turned his head slightly to glare back at me through his sunglasses.

Another heat wave swept across my face. "Sorry, just wondering what is going on in your mind, that's all..." Great, nice way to answer toba bitter sniper, Nimrod... "Actually, forget I said that, it's just that it feels awkward how someone like you would end up siding with someone to handle something. What's your stor-AHH!" I jumped into Boone's arms, horrified to see a body in two pieced through the waist.

Boone held me, but I could've sworn I heard popping noises coming from his jaw and arms. "That's a fucking dead Glowing Ghoul, idiot!" He moved his arms from below me, making me drop to my ass. "If you have time acting like a fucking pansy, why on earth would I be here helping you!?" He crossed his arms over his chest, veins bulging out of his temple from irritation and started walking forward passed me.

"Well, I am fucking sorry that unexpected things tend to make me startle so easily!" I yelled at him, quickly standing back on my feet to catch up with him. "Look, if we are going to cooperate while we are tending to the problem at hand, we might as well get to know each other while we are at it. If you want to ask me something, ask away! I won't hesitate and answer honestly."

"I rather not tell you anything about me." Boone replied sharply. "The less you ask me about my life, the less I have the urge of blowing your head clean out of your shoulders. Got it!?" He hissed, piercing me with his cold stare through his sunglasses.

I clenched my teeth hard as I glared back at him. "Well, excuse me, Mr. Dome Head, for intruding into your life without an invitation. I am trying to be as nice as I can to anyone I meet in a friendly and calm manner, but it seems like someone has a fucking chip on his shoulder!"

"You know what!" Boone stopped, turning his body directly at me in an offensive stance. "Maybe this is a fucking stupid idea to begin with! Why don't you march into that test site by yourself, and hope those damn ghouls make you their next meal, I don't give a damn!"

"Fine!" I directly replied, running away from Boone all the way up the incline. Might as well take on the damn ghouls by myself!

* * *

_-Boone-_

The red head ran as fast as she could up the hill, fucking bitch made me damn ticked! I had a feeling it wouldn't be a marvelous idea to tag along with her after I somehow asked...forcefully without meaning from Varges, to help her with the predicament at the test site. "Fucking Varges...can't believe he pushed me out to help some stupid red head stranger just so she can get some information on this 'Benny' fink! Why couldn't he leave me out of it!" I looked back at my home, but noticed the same robot coming to me. "What the hell do you want!?"

The robot, Victor as she calls it, stopped just feet from where I'm standing. "Easy there, pardner. Don't want a stand-off to happen in this wasteland, or maybe a life being lost just doing so. You know you're letting young Ms. Crimson run off into harms way, not knowing what danger lies ahead?"

"Like I give a damn!" I scoffed, crossing my arms against my built torso. "Why should I care about some stranger when in reality, she might turn out to be an enemy, or worse, killing off innocent lives for their own 'entertainment' or 'teachings'?"

Victor's screen static for a bit. "Assumption against others leads to greater conflict, my friend. Assuming young Ms. Crimson is part of the enemy lines is like sayin' a DeathClaw is nice to any curious passerby they cross through Quarry Junction. It doesn't sound right at all, git what I mean?"

Just this whole conversation about random metaphors seemed to irritate me, feeling this while thingis completely irrelevant to my problems. "Just fucking get to the point, I need to head back home, having my life the way it suppose to before it kills me from the inside."

"Well, I don't think your life won't end anytime soon, not just yet." Victor replied, much to my confusion. "Ya see, Ms. Crimson has amnesia, she can't remember one bit about her life before the time she awoke from her consciousness back in Goodsprings. Reason why she is out and about and hasn't been killed is because she is finding a certain someone who shot her, and to regain her memory along with that. Not only that, her compassion and good nature were the key for helping others in need, and in return she is respected. If I were you, NCR Recon, I'd be protectin' that precious life like you've been protectin' your brethren, because she is goin' to need a lot of help survivin' the wasteland."

Before I can argue my claim to him, I heard a yell echoing from behind me. Probably from the red head having trouble taking care of the ghouls. I dropped my arms, eyed the ground below my feet. Victor is right, but I didn't know about that red head's amnesia. I figured she was some idiot who just got lost and ended up staying in Novac just to be a nuisance. Now that Victor mentioned it, she has helped me...and told me she really felt bad for my wife dying. "Damn it..." I turned back to the other direction and began running. "Please don't fucking die!" I growled to myself, pushing my limits to catch up to her.


	13. Chapter 12 - Ghoulish Ghoul Troubles

_**-Come Fly with Me Pt. 2-**_

_**((Hey there everyone! CrymsonShokwave here to waste a few seconds of you life to tell you something (fail evil laughter). Eh, just kidding... The beginning chapter will start off after 'Crimson' ran from Boone after their heated argument, and it was also my birthday yesterday! (May 9th) And I hope everyone have a good Mother's Day! Now, onward to 'Crimson'!))**_

I didn't look back at Boone, even for one second, to see if he was trying to follow or stop me from running further towards the REPCONN Test site. I kepts running and running farther until I saw a huge rocket ahead, slowing down to a stop. I took one deep sigh turning around to look at the barren space with no sign of Boone appearing. "Figures...he must've went home. No matter, I can handle this myself and get the answers I need. Just hopefully these ghouls doesn't pop up out of nowhere..." I began walking slowly and cautiously, bringing my shotgun out for extra precaution, through the long road in front of me.

_Kuaaaoooohhh! _The unexpected sound made me tighten my grip on my shotgun, feeling an ominous surge travelling through my spine. I felt a lump in my throat as I gulped in fear, keeping my shotgun pointed forward while my pace suddenly slowed down. I got closer to the building to my right as soon as I got near the rocket, though the feeling of emptiness in the surrounding area is rather foreboding.

"D-D-Damn it..." My voice squeaked with fear. "I really hate this feeling..." I continued walking, pulling my shotgun near my torso, to left towards the building. Another sound of the same hiss echoed made me tense up. "What's that!?" I said, pointing the shotgun quickly to my left. My hands began trembling uncontrollably from the eerieness around me as I got closer towards the stairs. "Man...this place is even creepier the farther I go deeper." I sneek up towards the top step until I noticed a couple of ghouls trudging around the rubble. I hesitated, turning myself around to make my way down the stairs until a ghoul was right at my face. I screamed, so loud that it echoed in the area, making me shoot its head out of instinct. The ghoul fell down backwards and tumbled down the stairs. "S-Shit!" I just gave myself away!

_Kuuaaaaooooohhh! _The hisses from the ghouls behind me was loud and alert, the sounds of their feet tapping on the concrete signifying that they are looking for me. One of the ghoul's heads popped up from the top of the stairs and let out an hiss to its flock.

"Crap!" I said, eyeing at the ghoul that is now running towards me. I pushed myself with my feet as fast as I can and descended down the stairs. "Bad day, bad day, bad day, bad day, bad day!" I yelled, keeping grip of my shotgun. "I need to quickly kill them or I am surely a goner!" I held my shotgun and turned myself to aim the barrel at the first ghoul. I didn't have time to take a minute and get some composure, I instantly took one shot at it. I noticed a small hole appeared on the small barricade many feet from from the ghoul. "Damn it!" I yelled.

_KUUAAOH! _The ghoul nearest to me took one hit with one of its hands and hit my left arm, knocking the gun and myself down to the ground. I looked up, seeing the ghoul looking down and raising its arm up to make its next hit. I only closed my eyes and herkd on for dear life, until a loud BANG was heard. I opened my eyes, seeing the ghoul's lifeless body lying on the ground in front of my feet.

"Die, you fucking mindless sons of bitches!" I twisted my head quickly to the direction where the sound lead to in shock, hearing Boone's voice echoed as he ran with his sniper up, shooting at the heads of the other oncoming ghouls. "Eat this!" He was about to take another shot at another ghoul that was about to hit him in close range, only to have his rifle knocked off of his hands. "Damn it!" Boon reached down to the ground and made a huge swipe on their ghouls neck, revealing some kind of weapon with a long, sharp metal end.

I still lie on the ground, baffled at Boone's sudden return. "B-Boone...?" I murmured o myself, seeing him putting the weapon on his left hip before grabbing his rifle and putting it in the holster. I wish I can say anything to him, but I am too speechless to even utter one word.

Boone knelt down and ripped off something from one of the ghouls before standing back and walking to me. As he got near me, hope lifted my left arm. "Don't you fucking move or say anything about this..." He wrapped some brown clothed over what appears to be some claw marks, maybe from the ghoul. He tightened it, making me wince from the stinging pain, and tied to keep it from falling off. "Let's get going..." Boone stood back up and began walking towards the building.

"Hey, wait up!" I spoke up, pushing myself up to catch up to him. "What in the hell just happened there!? I thought you were the one that said you don't care if I become ghoul's next meal! What made you decide to come chasing back to me!?" I kept walking with him, with not a single coming out of Boone. "Hellooo! Are you even listening to me!? If you are going to say something at least answer!"

"Just drop it!" Boone replied, finally. "I didn't come chasing back just to save a damsel in distress from a flock of reasonless beings. I..." Boone stopped talking, turning his head away from me. "let's just say that the scratch you got is infected with some radiation from that ghoul that attacked you, as they are lived off from. Too much radiation, either it kills you or you become one of them." I didn't realize the both of us are at the top of the stairs when Boone started looking around. "If only there are some RadAway, it would clear the radiation away from your blood system. But, let's head inside..." He continued walking forward.

Just something about Boone's behavior seems to be so...puzzling. Why go all his way to save me even after our argument just a while ago, and what made him change. I think I need to keep my space away from me if anything else happens. I ran to Boone, who is already at the door, waiting for me. I only eyed the door, huffing away the excess tension from my shoulders. "Here goes nothing..." I grabbed one of the door knobs, entering into the room.

"Hey, over here! Are you listening?" A hoarse voice echoed in a barely dimmed room as I shut the door behind me and Boone. "Hey, anybody there, or am I just talking to my fucking self!?" The voice sounded like he is impatient.

"Its coming from the intercom over there." Boone said, with his arms crossed, eyeing at as square, white box with a speaker and button on it. "You go answer it..."

I groaned, but walked over to the intercom and pressed on the button. "H-Hello? T-This is Crimson, here. Who's this?" I asked.

"I am not near the intercom to make any introductions to anyone, smoothskin." The voice from the other end said. "Go to the big room on the east side of this building and take the metal staircase all the way up. And hurry."

"Why is that?" I asked. "Why hurry over there?"

I can hear a groan coming from the other end of the intercom. "Stop wasting time on senseless questions, smoothskin. Hurry up!" The intercom clicked, only a sound of static was heard through the speaker. Well, that guy sounded rude just by the way he talked. Just wish he can give me a reason to why he wants me and Boone there...wherever 'there' is.

I heard Boone's footsteps echoed behind me, sounding like he is walking away to my right. I turned to see Boone facing forward at one of the door on the right side of the room, looking away from me. "He said the room is by the east side of here. If we don't hurry, who knows if more of those ghouls would come charging after us."

_KUAAAOOHHHH! _Several hissing sounds echoed in the large room, startling both Boone and I. Doors opened from the front and left side of the room as ghouls came through the doorway, making Boobe and I shift our gaze at that direction, and started running towards us.

"Better be armed and ready!" Boone's took out his rifle as quick as a flash and started shooting all of the heads of the ghouls charging at us, making all of them fall to their floor. I didn't get a chance to hit any one of them since I am not fast enough to quick draw my shotgun on time like Boone.. "Apparently not..." Boone murmured, walking away to one of the doors to the right.

I growled under my breath while I held on to my gun. "You know, if you would've let me have a chance to shoot one, maybe I can be proofed useful to you. How about that?" I turned to see Boone, but he disappeared out of sight, but his footsteps echoed from thedoor nearest to me. "Hey, don't leave me all alone over here!" I holster my gun and ran to catch up to him. The little hallway lead to a small flight of stairs, which Boone is already at the top of it. We continued walking over to another door way to the right of us and saw a dead body with some dark cloak on it. "Wait, I thought ghouls only wore little raggedy clothing. I've never seen that type before."

Boone walked pass me, not stopping to look at the dead figure. "Why waste our time looking at clothing when we have a problem to deal with..." He said, still walking further in the hallway. "If you rather do that, I am not stopping you. I rather get this mission done with so I can get back to my own life away from everyone."

"Are you always like this to everyone!? Cold-hearted, isolated, and abrasive?" I asked. "Because it feels like every time I start a conversation with you, you tend to just push yourself away from it instead of joining in. What's your em?"

"Drop it!" Boone snapped as he turned directly at me. "Believe me, if you have been in my combat boots a long time ago, you'll now the kind of shit I have been through. Now, cut away from the small talk and let's put our minds into more important matters! Like taking out the ghoul problem." He turned around and continued walking.

I eyed at the corpse and sighed. "Can't anything get any worse..." I mumbled before walking onward rrough the hallway. I didn't realize it was dark in the hallway when I passed by the light behind me. I held up my Pip Boy and turned on the light, making the area around me more visible. It felt like it is taking forever to find the metal stairs to some door, hell even with my amnesia I have no sense in direction. I kept walking past the same dead ghoul for I don't know how much, and I don't see Boone anywhere near me. "Great..." I folded my arms over my torso. "now where did he go!? I'm practically lost without anything to navigate me!" I kept walking and walking, hoping to spot a red berret, but stumble into a large room with some pictures on the wall.

"Hmm, maybe I can wait in here until he finds me." I said, walking into the room and looking at the area carefully. I felt my stomach growled and hear it as loud as a bell. "Man, all I've aten today was red round food back in Novac. Must've rotted away by now..." I brought up my Pip Boy, thank God for Sunny, and brought out those little bits of meat on a stick with a weird aftertaste. "Better than nothing, I guess..." I took one bite out of one piece on the stick, and I hate to say that the second bite taste better than the first. While eating, I took a look at one of the pictures hanging on the wall.

_"I believe she is one splendid person!"_ An unfamiliar voice echoed within my mind. My head began throbbing in plain, but the infliction is more intense than before. _"She will be the perfect person to uphold the knowledge for us! She's brilliant!" _Images, never ending images of some sort of place that I have no exact clue what it is. I can see about three figures, their shadows against a distorted window that prevented me from seeing what they are. The pain intensified, with more images of some person whose face is unreadable and unidentifiable.

I didn't know notice myself falling onto my knees as I was more aware of the pain in my head. I couldn't take it, the pain is too much me. I began blacking out and fell sideways on the floor. "H...Help...please..." I weakly said as my vision begins to blur out.

_"Oh no! Crimson!" _Someones voice sounded.

_Is that...Boone? _I thought, highly surprised that he looked for me. But, his voice sounded more...concerned. I wish I can speak, but I already feel like fading away. Damn it, cash I have one moment without getting unconscious!?

_"She's barely conscious," _A new voice, a hoarse female one, sounded from somewhere. _"Why don't you carry her and follow me onward downstairs. Our leader is waiting for you and her, and maybe she'll wa...up b...e g..."_

Now my hearing is fading, even my sense of feeling even though I can feel some strong arms holding me up by my back and the back of my knees. All I can hear is a soft "Wake up..." from Boone, like he only wants me to hear. I let my mind wander off, with me slipping away into the darkness.


	14. Chapter 13 - Defending Denial

_**-Come Fly with Me Pt. 3-**_

_Damn, being unconscious every once in a while is a bothersome. _I thought. I quickly opened my eyes and groaned, lifting my head up as I noticed I am on a chair against the wall. "Damn my headaches..." I mumbled, lifting my upper body forward and surveyed the area around me. "Where am I?"

"Don't worry, you're here with us." A rapsy, female voice called from my right. I turned to witness two ghouls standing before me, wearing the robe those dead ghouls in the hallways are wearing. But, what's very peculiar about these ghouls is that they are not attacking me on sight...and it talks like us, but with some raspy voice. "If you are wondering what we are, our leader will tell you everything about us." The two walked away to the stairs through the right doorway.

I remained quiet while watching the ghouls walking away from sight as I slowly pushed myself up to my feet, hoping for some wave of dizziness to overflow me. But confusion shrouded me about the memory of some unfamiliar place with people I have never seen before, talking about me holding some 'knowledge'. But something else popped up in my mind. "Wait, where's Boone!?" I asked, frantically.

"Over here..." Boone's voice from behind me made my skin jumped. I twist my body around to see Boone leaning against the edge of the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes behind his sunglasses are unreadable for me to find out his mood, but his posture suggested that he is rather unmoved about my awakening. "If you got time standing around, why don't you make time into continuing our objective."

I blinked twice, though I wish I can be happy that he came to get me there are questions to be answered. "Wait, how did you know where to find me and carry all the way over here?"

Boone clenched his teeth, seems like he's rather annoyed. "Like I would carry a frightened girl from that office all the way over here. Those ghouls found you there and one of them carried you over here and set you down on that chair." He looked away. "Now, why don't we move along and meet up with their 'leader'."

I nodded. "Of course. But...I heard you said my name a while ago. Were you the one that said 'Wake up' before I lost consciousness?" I had to ask.

Boone turned with his back towards me. "You've been probably dreaming that I said that. Let's get going..." He walked away from me.

_I have never seen him or hear him deny anything. _I repeated the words Manny told me back in Novac echoed in my subconscious, which kind of got me wondering as soon as I started walking. _Maybe there is something about him that he isn't telling me, and I should probably ask him about...when the time is right... _I thought with a sigh. I entered through the doorway, seeing Boone standing quietly with his arms still folded, and noticed some guy in a white coat coming down from another set of stairs.

The guy eyed me and wrinkled his nose. "Holy fuck, aren't you one ugly bitch!" His voice is raspy like those ghouls, except he is not a ghoul. He was the same guy that talked through the intercom just as me and Boone entered the building...and he called me a smoothskin? "Why don't you get away from me and head upstairs and talked to Jason before I end up throwing up just by looking at you!"

"What did you fucking say!" Boone took out his metal weapon from his side, sounded like he is pissed off at that guy. "You better take back what you said!"

The guy turned and eyed Boone. "Easy there, smoothskin! I didn't know what this has to do to you, but why I don't seem to understand the fact you are defending this ugly woman from me. It is not like I am going to touch her or anything, she is revolting!"

"Excuse me!?" It sounded like Boone was saying the same thing I am saying in unison, which kind of baffled me. I eyed Boone, who was looking at me as well while he put his weapon back to his side. "I'm...not defending her! Why would I defend a someone if she is only a stranger to me!?" Boone still sounded tick as he walked to me and grabbed my left arm. "Let's head upstairs before I end up losing my mind!" He, then, dragged me to the stairs and upwards to their second floor. He mumbled something under his breath, but I couldn't make out what he is saying.

I hate being the one to stay silent for too long, I have to know. "Boone, what is up with you lately?" I asked. "Why are you acting so differently all of a sudden!?" I felt his hand releasing his hold of my arm once we got up to the second floor, but didn't say a word nor turning his to see me. "Boone?" I spoke again.

"Welcome, welcome all, wanderers!" A voice that sounded almost like a robot sounded to our right. A tall, glowing ghoul appeared with about four ghouls with the same robes came walking towards us. The ghoul only wore an orange formal clothing, except parts of his right sleeve and shoulder, upper front right pants leg, lower left pants leg, and on the front tux and left upper back sleeves are missing. Those exposed skin are glowing with a bright yellowish green. "I am Jason Bright, leader of the Bright Followers. We are blessed to have a couple of guests attending this wonderful day, where we await for the Great Journey to our home of the Far Beyond to finally flourish!"

"Great Journey and Far Beyond?" I spoke, confused. "I'm sorry, but I think you've made mistake there. Boone and I here to take care of a predicament with the ghouls running amok in Novac, and we're trying to get rid of that problem."

Jason Bright doesn't look too satisfied about what I told him. "And they've been shooting therm down like animals, haven't they..." He crossed his arms and sighed. "Those ghouls there are of my flock, even after the madness consumed their minds, we never let them wander free. We kept them safe on the first floor, and kept them contained. Somehow...those demons must've let them out. But, now they are lost forever, denied the salvation and healing glow of the Far Beyond..."

"Demons?" I asked, feeling like the word isn't a good thing. "What are those?"

Jason shook his head and sighed. "I'm afraid I can't tell you much of such. The demons appeared out of nowhere...except it might be more accurate to say they never actually 'appeared' at all. The demons are invisible. Where one of them stands, the most one sees is the air shimmering, like sunlight on water."

"Invisible..." Boone appeared to my left side with his arms crossed. "They're probably playing such a prank to scare off anyone for their territory..." Boone sounded like he doesn't believe one bit from Jason.

Jason turned to Boone. "Believe what you want, second wanderer, but I have seen it with my own eyes. They set upon us as we were on our way to worship oner morning. We had just entered the basement. My flock fought bravely, and killed a few, but at such as cost. Nearly half of us died or went missing. The rest of us retreated here. Oner of the demons raved at us, but they have not tried to attack us since. Still, their demonic presence brought all progress to the Great Beyond toward our home of the Far Beyond to a standstill.

"The Far Beyond?" I questioned again. "I have never heard of a place like that before. What's is like?"

Jason can only smile a little at my comment. "That, wanderer, I have only glimpsed visions, ones that are truly miraculous. It is a place of light and healing, and I know my soul that my flock will be safe there." He walked up to me and grabbed both my hands, somehow sending a surge through my arms. "Please, wanderer, bear in mind that every feral ghoul you spare now is one that can we can save later. Once the way is clear, our feral brothers and sisters will accompany us on the Great Journey." His brows lowered with concern. "If there are any left..."

I twitched my eye and gulp. _Shit, that is bad...I can't let him know about it! _I just only smiled, hoping he would buy it just one bit. "Oh, no worries! We have spared them, as to wish to never harm an innocent but reasonless soul! We are but a couple of good nature souls!"

"Your lie is as bland as the barren wasteland." Boone spoke. "You saw me sniped four ghouls that were charging after us and you weren't fast enough to draw out your shotgun on time. And you've considered _me_ good natured?" I saw him pressing the bridge of his nose with his fingers.

Jason eyed once again at Boone. "And there is still more out there. But this is why we wish to achieve the Great Journey: to rid ourselves away from the barbarity of the wasteland, especially the violence and the bigotry of its human inhabitants. The creator has promised to my flock a new land: a place of safety and healing...a paradise in thr Far Beyond. But now you have come." Jason eyed back at me as he held my hands up higher. "Once again, the creator has sent two humans to help us across an seemingly and insurmountable obstacle. Preparations for the Great Journey will proceed once the demons have been rid of. Please, wanderers, I ask of your help."

Seems like everywhere I go, I have another problem to take care of that either cleaves me injured, or near death. But, I hate how I am a good nature soul when it comes to helping others. "Okay, I'll go take care of your 'demon' problem for you."

Jason's face look thrilled. "Praise the creator! Bless you, wanderer, bless us all! As soon as the underground has been rid of those demons, preparations for the Great Journey can resume!" Jason reached into his pocket and gave me a small, silver key. "Here is the key to the basement. I wish you two good luck." He, along with his followers, walked away.

"One of them told me the way to get there while you were passed out." Boone murmured to me. "I'll lead the way this time...just hope you don't pass out again." He turned around and made his way back down the stairs.

I groaned, hate being left standing without any notice. "Boone, can you at least wait for me to walk along so we don't end up being lost again!?" I said, through my clenched, annoyed teeth. "Seriously, it's like every time you don't want me around you for some reason. If you hate me that much, why don't you stay back in Novac and I can handle the problem myself!"

Boone snatched my left arm, making me face his irritated glare. "For one thing, Varges pushed me into working with you to handle this problem together after fucking teasing me that there is some kind of 'connection' between us, which we don't! Once this thing is over, I would like to head back to Novac peacefully and go back to the life I rather have!"

I lowered my brows. "Varges...made you work with me!?" I felt a fluster of disbelief encumbering myself. "Damn..." I said, looking away. "I...I didn't know that he would do that for his amusement. If I have known he did that, I would've just left you alone. He even asked me if I happened to like you even though you are married with another."

"What did you say?" Boone asked immediately, catching my attention tight then and there. I glared at his cold, but serious expression closely though his sunglasses. The silence was long...but awkward at the same time the longer we've stared at each other. "Fucking tell me, Crimson, I'm losing mind here!" He growled.

I gasped, my eyes widen even more at how he said my name. My heart began to pound, and I felt some heat swept across my face. "You...you said my name..."

"So what?" Boone shrugged his shoulders. "A name is a name, no big deal. It's not like you name is that special anyway... But you haven't answered my question." He let his hand from my left arm drop. "What did you say to Manny when he asked you if you liked me?"

I can only lower and shake my head side to side at him. "I only told him to fuck off. I am not some damn fucking whore who would try to swoon some damage person into having a relationship with." I lifted my head back up to him. "I'm not that kind of person that would do that to anyone who is under that martial status, otherwise people will think of me badly. I rather stay away from their business..."

"Then why did you say you felt bad for me?" Boone added. "And why decline the offer of caps that I was going to give you? Are you trying some way to use or manipulate my psychological damage?"

My eyes widen. "Fuck, no! I would never stoop down to that kind of level!" I clenched my teeth, almost felt them grind upon contact, but I eased myself with my head held low again. "No, Boone. Reason why is that I can never imagine losing someone that dear in the hands of the Legion for money. Just seeing that Bill of Sales that Jeannie May Crawford have really hit me hard. And as much as I want the caps, but I rather let you have it. Trading a piece of paper for caps isn't right." I growled a bit, feeling like I should change the subject. "Maybe we should continue on our mission, Boone..." I began walking down to the foot of the stairs.

"Craig..." Boone spoke, making me stop at my tracks. I turned and see his face, but his sunglasses in his right hand. "Crimson, if you don't mind. I'd like to be called Craig. Boone is just my last name, and what the people in Novac call me." He clarified, his voice all calm and serene. His eyes, his cold but calm green eyes illuminated by the light from above us piercing directly at me.

I couldn't help by smile and nod my head. "Alright, Craig." Just the name I spoke just made me feel nervous, and at the same time made me calm than before. "I promise that when this is over, I'll make sure you won't be bothered any longer by Manny. Shall we head on to the basement?"

Boone- I mean, Craig- put his sunglasses back on his face and nodded. "Follow me. The metal door isn't that far from here." He descended down the stairs with me following him. Though it is great that we are being called by our first names and that our situations have been settled, but our companionship is temporary. Once everything is settled here, I continue on my journey solo.

* * *

_-Craig-_

I have no idea what is going on with me right now. I have never felt anything like this since Carla was still alive. What am I still thinking...this companionship is still temporary. I have nothing to do with her in my life. I heard a high pitch tapping sound bounced off the walls just as soon as we made our way through the hallway. I noticed a small bottle cap with a glowing blue star on it. I picked it up and put it in one of my pockets.

"What was that, Craig?" Crimson, from behind me, spoke after a short silence. I have her call me by my first name, since my last name has been overused by my higher authorities and the people of Novac.

I didn't have to eye her to answer. "Just a bottle cap, nothing more..." I spoke, monotonously.

"Okay..." She replied, being silent once again. Though, just having a small conversation with her tends to keep me calm, even the most idiotic ones that made me irritated. Of course, the only reason she is here is to get answers from Varges so she can continue her vendetta. Once that is done, we part ways and our lives continue as usual. But...someone is probably going to find Crawford's killer in a matter of moments, and they are going to suspect me as the murderer. Probably, if Crimson allows it, I can travel along with her. Of course, with what she told me, if she rather leave me alone, at least I know it is worth a shot.


	15. Chapter 14 - Awkward Dilemmas

_**-Come Fly with Me Pt. 4-**_

Along a long walk through the metal stairs downwards to a little generating room, me and Craig, who now wants me to call him that, are continuing our mission to rid of the REPCONN Test site of the ghouls. But, apparently the ghouls, known as the Bright Followers, have asked us to drag these 'demons' Jason called out of the basement to continue on their 'Great Journey to the Far Beyond'. We made it to a ramp where some huge thing is lying down motionless. "What is this? I've never seen anything like this before!" I began poking the body, hoping it is dead.

"I think those are the demons those ghouls are mentioning." Craig answered, walking over to me. "I think I've seen these kind of things before, many times back when..." His voice trailed away before he could finish. "back when I was on my way to Novac with Carla. I've heard people saying they were terrorized by some group of Nightkin somewhere south of there. But it's been ongoing for quite some time because of travelers, prospectors, and merchants."

I stopped poking the dead Nightkin and stood back up. "Hmm, fascinating. Well, now we know what kind of 'demons' we are looking for. Just hope they don't end up attacking us with kind of weapon..." I walking over to a huge weapon that almost resembles a sledgehammer, except it is made up if several parts. "Let's continue our way to the basement, we can't stall much longer."

Craig nodded. "We are not too far. Just past that opening and to a flight of stairs downward." He turned around, with me following him just about a couple of feet behind him, to proceed up the rest of the ramp and to the left down the stairs where a metal door is. "There it is." We both made it in front of the basement door, Craig drew out his rifle from his holster. "Might as well be armed in case those Nightkin would try to attack us."

"Agree." I nodded, taking out the basement key from my coat pocket and insert it in their keyhole. With a turn to the right, a click was heard to signify that the door is now unlocked. "Here goes nothing..." I exhaled as soon as I carefully opened the door to a narrow, barely lit hallway. I let Craig go first, then myself before closing the door behind me. "Ugh..." I winced, looking around the close space everywhere around me. "just this small space is making me uncomfortable..." I mumbled, taking my shotgun out of my holster.

"Claustrophobic..." Craig spoke, waiting for me at the end of the small hallway. "probably that feeling. It happens to mostly anyone out in the wasteland. Do you mind shedding some light here so we know where to go?"

"Sure thing." I kept a hold of my shotgun in my left hand as I pressed the button on my Pip Boy to make the screen glow brighter, illuminating the area around us. "Alright, now to find those-"

"Y-Yes, Antler! Shipment should be there. But how to get inside!?" Some voice from our left trailed through the long hallway. "Antler, should one of kin go in and get shipment? Can't risk losing more of kin!" A long silence occurred. "Wait more, Antler?"

Craig was already walking over to whatever it was down the long hall. "Don't just stand there, Crimson. You're the one that ghoul asked to have those 'demons' taking care of. I can't do this job all by myself..." He stopped, turning and waiting for me.

I nodded and jogged my way over to him. "Jason Bright said 'wanderers', with an 's' at the end. That means he was asking for _our _help on getting rid of the Nightkin. As much as you wanted to just shoot them all dead, I rather settle a negotiation before any bloodshed happens...then maybe everything will be handle peacefully."

Craig stared at me, sighed as he shrugged his shoulders a bit. "If you say so. But if anything goes out of hand, I won't hesitate to point my rifle at anything that might threaten us. Lead the way." He holster his rifle back waiting for me to lead towards the voice.

"Thanks." I put my shotgun back in the holster just as begin walking onward to where the sound of the voice came from. I notice a wide doorway a few feet to my right with the same voice being heard on the other side. I took a peek at the doorway and saw a huge Nightkin stomping around the room with a desk in the middle, and filing cabinets to the left and right of the room.

"What's that, Antler!?" The Nightkin turned to look...at nothing!? "We have visitors!? Where, Antler!?" The Nightkin paused for a few short seconds until it caught sight of me, which made me hid myself out of sight. "An assassin, more like!" He took out his huge weapon and stomped around the desk. "Let me kill, Antler, for safe's sake!" He was just about to go through the doorway, but something somehow made him stop. "Huh, what's that, Antler?" He continued talking out of nowhere.

Craig came close to my side with his rifle ready. "Let him have a reason to attack us. My scope is ready at his head if he shows." He sounded really serious, and willing to protect _us _from that Nightkin? I thought Craig is all about himself!

"Ask human, Antler?" The Nightkin said, a long pause stretched for a second. "Alright..." He groaned in defeat, stomping his way through the door and eyed me and Craig. He is really huge, blue skin, clothing and armor, his face seems really intimidating with his teeth exposed. Most district about him is that he is hunched over. "Hi, humans. Human female, I saw you peek. Why you come here?"

Human female...nice way to call me that after we just met. I have to come up with something that doesn't trigger him to attack. "Umm...I mean you no harm. Who are you, exactly?" Even though I am at ease that the Nightkin didn't attack me or Craig, but I can still see Craig keeping a very close distance by me, in the corner of my eye.

The Nightkin still eyed us with the same scowl. "Me? I am devoted to Antler, but before Antler...hmm..." The Nightkin huffed gravely. "Captain, once. Last name, Davidson. First name...don't remember. I command troop of Nightkin. The Master's elite. A great honor, very proud. Something happened. We wandered the desert. Life without master was...hard. Others' minds going strange, going crazy. But then found new master. I find Antler!"

Then it brings up the whole 'Antler' thing he has been talking in thin air. "Antler? I don't see this Antler anywhere in the room over there. Who is he?"

"_Who _is Antler?" Davidson shoved his face towards mine. "WHO IS ANTLER!?" He yelled, but turned back and ran back into the room. Me and Craig eyed each other before walking forward into the room, seeing Davidson...looking at a skull? "Antler, human female ask about you! What do I tell it?" He paused for a moment. "Alright..." Davidson twisted himself to me and Craig. "Who is Antler...not important to you. But Antler...wants that you deal with me."

"As I said," Craig crossed his arms over his chest. "those ghouls asked you to take care of them on their behalf."

"Ghouls, human?" Davidson eyed Craig. "You mean ones upstairs? Antler use intercom, told them stay put. But they want to come down in basement anyways?" He scratched his head and mumbled something. "Cannot allow. My kin are...not right in head like I am. They attack on sight, crazy! Ghouls friends have to wait until you find what Antler bought us."

Nightkin...not right in the head? That's kind of a head scratch moment. I crossed my arms, glaring at Davidson with a small groan. "Alright, maybe I can help out. Just tell me what you want me to search."

Davidson stood, not even a hint of shifted emotion. "Good! Antler brought us here for reason...er..." Davidson twist his head to the skull. "why is that, Antler?"

_"I swear to god he is talking to a fucking brahmin skull..." _Craig murmured, only audible for me to hear while Davidson is distracted. _"I heard Nightkin suffers schizophrenia from someone knowing a doctor somewhere." _

"Sorry, Antler nervous when others stare at Antler." Davidson said as he moved his head to us. "O-Oh, yeah. Antler said piece of paper. Shipment invoice. Hundreds of Stealth Boys, sent here long time ago...Stealth Boys maybe in other room we don't search yet...actually, one we can't search..."

"Why not the last room?" I asked. "Why can't you search the last room, wherever it is..." My sense of direction...wish the checker suit guy never shot me in the head.

Davidson just breathed heavily. "Out door to right, there is door locked. A ghoul in there, not squishy like others. This ghoul is tough. I thought Antler said send kin into room, but three died. Ghoul is crack shot and set traps too. After, I realize I heard Antler wrong and locked door to keep kin out and wait for Antler to tell me what to do. Then you come. Antler says you are solution." Davidson tossed something shiny, making it land in front of my feet. "Here is key to door. Ghoul not expect human. Maybe Antler right about your chances of life."

I knelt down and took the key from the floor. "Thanks..." I said, not enthused about what I am about to go through. "Come on Craig...guess we need to help them, too." I turned around and went through the doorway and right, just as Davidson said, to a door just ahead of us. I even noticed a dead Nightkin lying on its back with a gunshot on its head. "Shit, that ghoul means business." I inserted the key into the keyhole to unlock it. The door made a weird way of opening the with its sides disappearing in the sides and the door part going up. "Well, let's check out th-"

"Damn it, Crimson, watch out!" Craig grabbed my arms and pulled me just as some bullet hit the floor out of nowhere. I felt my back touched his chest, making me feel awkward for a moment there. "That ghoul is probably a sniper from what I heard from the Nightkin," he said, his voice right close to my right ear. "and you need to be wary of your surroundings if you decide to pop up out of nowhere. Believe me, I've been through that."

It is great Craig manage to save me from having a bullet almost killing me, but...just being so close to him is making me feel very uncomfortable. I cringed, even feel a wave of heat on my face. "C-Craig..." I said, trying to hide my flushed face from him. "can you let me go so I can talk to their ghoul?" This is the most awkward situation I have ever come across, so far. Even when it involves a cold hearted, married sniper.

"Oh..." was the only thing Craig said as he released his grip from my arms. "Remember what I said about it."

I just nodded, though I can still feel my heart pounding hard against my chest. I gulped down before I carefully walked my way towards the room in front of me. "Come and get it, you big dumb-" a raspy, male voice echoed from above me that made me look up to a ghoul with some armor that is different from the Bright Followers. "Wait, you are not one of those things out there? Who the hell are you?"

I took a quick look at his gun and noticed a scope. Yep, sniper, just as Craig said. "I'm over here to look for some shipment on some Stealth Boys. Are they in here?" I looked around the area, seeing how this place is heavily armed with traps and stuff.

"A stash of Stealth Boys? Are you kidding me!?" The ghoul growled. "If there was some stash of devices that made you invisible, do you think we'd be having this conversation!?"

I really don't like his tone, but something about him being stuck here sure didn't add up. There has to be reason as to why he is here. "Speaking of which, who are you and how come you are trapped in here?"

"First of all smoothskin," the ghoul spoke up. "I am not trapped here, it was a tactical choice, alright? I'm no match for those things out there, so I found a good defensive position, and I've been defending it, right?" He chuckled for a moment, but a groan escaped out of his mouth. "Aw, who am I fooling? I'm trapped...name's Harland. I'm a sniper just like your smoothskin boyfriend that was holding you close to him."

I noticed Craig appearing beside !me with his rifle drawn out. "You got a fucking death wish in front of you for saying that shit!" He yelled, though he didn't pulled his gun up at Harland.

My face immediately flushed after his little comment he made. "H-Harland, Craig is not my boyfriend! He is married to someone else!" Great, now the situation is even more awkward than ever! "Now explain to me how you happened to be stuck in here!?"

Harland chuckled. "Then how come you ended up blushing when I said that? Obviously it's a sign." Okay, now that's just putting another nail in his coffin! He chuckled even more when he saw my irritated glare. "Aw, never mind. It's none of my business. What happened was, I was escorting folk, those religious bastards upstairs, down to work when those things attacked us. Most of the fight was upstairs, but some of them panicked and made for the basement. And I went after them. Well..." Harland's voice sounded so grave. "turns out there were even more of this bastards down here than upstairs, and things went to shit fast. I couldn't find the others, so I fell back to this room and set up a nice little kill zone. End of story."

"Is there a way that I can get you help? Maybe I can help, if you let me." I asked.

"Ha!" Harland scoffed. "Well, aren't you polite. I admire that smoothskin female you've been traveling with." He said, sounded like he is talking to Craig. "I'll give her that. If it was just me and her, I'd do ask she asked." He chuckled, the sound echoing in the large room.

I heard Craig pulling the hammer back on his rifle. "Shut up and tell her what needs to be fucking done! We are under a tight schedule!" Now Harland is starting to get on Craig's bad side. Any more, Craig won't stop until he shot him down.

"Easy there, smoothskin. Didn't mean to push your buttons that hard. If it were literally, it would. But it's not." Harland sighed. "I had friend with me when those mutant bastards came out of nowhere. She panicked and ran the wrong direction- further into the basement. She's probably dead, but I ain't leaving until I know for sure. I'd have gone looking myself, except I wouldn't last a minute out there. You two, on the other hand, seem pretty resourceful. Find my friend, and I'll get out of your way."

"Good, now let's go!" Craig grabbed my left arm, after holstering his rifle, and pulled me out of the room and through the hallway. Even passed the opening doorway with the distracted Davidson and his 'Antler' master. "If I had a moment, I'd like to blow his head clean out so I don't have to listen to more of his 'jokes'. But since we are doing this _your _way, I won't shoot unless anything attacks us..."

I jerked my arm away from his hand. "Look, I know you are irritated about what just happened back there. But, maybe it would be okay if I can just handle the rest of the mission myself and help the Bright Followers with their Great Journey."

"And let you get killed by anything that might be a threat!?" Craig turned towards me, his sunglasses shining from my Pip Boy light. "I am not leaving your side until we get back to Novac. Now, let's find that friend of his..." He turn back to the way he is going and proceeded walking down the hallway.

"Sounds like things aren't working out as I hope..." I murmured to myself before walking forward, keeping a huge distance from myself and Craig. "Things would've been better if he'd stay in Novac, not having to withstand the predicament we are at right now. Even being pushed into coming with me from Manny..." Now I feel really bad about everything.

* * *

_**((Hello readers! Thanks for reading my story thus far, and hope you can leave a review once you're done. And I am surprised at the number of views this story has been growing! Hope to see you next chapter! -CS))**_


	16. Chapter 15 - Compromises

_**-Come Fly with Me Pt. 5-**_

I kept a pretty large distance away from Craig while we walked deeper into the basement in search of the sniper ghoul, Harland's, friend. It's strange how I somehow ended up in such a cobweb of problems to everyone I come across. Hell, even assisting a not-right-in-the-head Nightkin Davidson on some 'Stealth Boys', whatever the hell they are. I brought up my Pip Boy to check the time. "10:41 am...feels like it's been longer than that..." I mumbled to myself, hoping Craig, my sniper 'companion' for this mission, won't hear me. I kept on walking, eyeing the floor below me as I silently sighed.

"Are you going to catch up, or am I going to do this myself?" Craig's voice echoed in the narrow hallway. After a little episode with Harland's jokes to me and Craig, he is more in a hurry to get the whole mission done before we head back to Novac, thus will end the 'companionship', though it doesn't feel like one. I didn't even look at him, just kept walking and keeping to myself. "Crimson, if there is something in your mind, get rid of it and focused on the main objective. I can't let a slowpoke like you drag me down."

I sighed, just letting his words hit me hard without a care in the world. I walked passed him and turned right to a longer pathway ahead of me. "Guess the search will be longer than I thought..." I mumbled before walking forward.

"Crimson!" I felt Craig's hand grabbed my right shoulder tightly. "Whatever the hell is wrong with you, cut it out! There is no time for sulking shit!" He paused for a while, releasing his grip. "Okay, I know the both of us really hated the fact that Varges pushed us into working together. But the sooner we get this done, the quicker we get out of this hellhole."

"Whatever you say..." I groaned, proceeded forward. I took a few steps through the hallway until some stomping noises what heard. I froze in place, trying to make out the direction where the sound came from.

I heard Craig's footsteps inching closer to me. "What in the hell are y-mmph?" I covered his mouth with my left hand. I signal a finger against my lips to get him to quiet so he can listen in as well. Thee footsteps grew louder and louder the closer it got, whoever 'it' is. I notice some movement from the light, something big holding some weapon.

"Shit, look out!" I pushed Craig toward their wall to my left while I moved to the wall to their right as a huge mallet weapon appeared within impact of the floor. I huffed heavily, eyeing the weapon then turning my head to the Nightkin. "Didn't appear at all..." I murmured the words Jason told me.

There Nightkin raised its weapon up. "AURGH! HUMANS MUST DIE!" It swung its right arm back, then forward at me.

"AHH!" I ducked, just in time before I became a Nightkin's pancake. I rolled to the left as I drew out my shotgun, aiming at him. "Take this!" I yelled, firing a shot at his head. It manage to set the Nightkin back a few feet, but not enough to incapacitate it. "Shit!"

Craig already has his rifle out and scoped on their Nightkin. "Got it on my sights!" He yelled, taking his shot at it. Same result, but he wouldn't go down. "Damn, this Nightkin is brute! It's going to take more bullets in his head to put him down!" He fired off two more shots at it.

I notice a couple of more Nightkin taking charge at us with their weapons in hand. "Fuck! Only thing to get them down" I took my hunting knife out of my knife sheath. "is to force them! Boone, cover me while I try a way to get them down!" I begin running as I holster my shotgun for now.

"It's Craig! And are you fucking crazy!?" Craig yelled, trying to distract the Nightkin from attacking me. "You're going to get yourself killed if you don't know what you're doing!" I noticed one of the Nightkin he shot at fell down to the floor. "One down!"

One Nightkin is already blocking my right of passage. "Puny human no match for Nightkin of Master's army!" The Nightkin laughed halfheartedly as it raised its weapon at me. "DIE HUMAN!"

I leaped forward and sliced the back of his knees with one twirl, making him collapse to his knees with an agonizing bellow. I quickly drew out my gun to the back of the Nightkin's head and pulled the hammer. "You might be strong, but you are not quick enough!" I pulled the trigger, making its head bounce off the barrel of my shotgun and onto their floor. "Two down..." I said, looking around for the last Nightkin until I felt my body being slammed back onto their wall behind me at such force. "GAH!" I yelled, feeling all of my breath escaping out of my lungs.

Thee last Nightkin has his forearm against my torso, putting pressure against it as it is trying to squish me. "Pathetic human!" The Nightkin laughed. "Tricks won't work on smart Nightkin. Nightkin much strong than weakling humans. We teach you never to mess with us!" I felt something sharp pushed against my neck, not hard for my neck to draw blood. "Say goodnight, hu-" a gunshot echoed from my left, which somehow cause the Nightkin to release his knife and forearm off off me. "GUAHH!" The Nightkin grunted in pain.

"This'll fucking teach you, bastards!" It was Craig, taking shots one by one closer to where I am slumped over. "Eat this!" With one more shot from his rifle, the Nightkin gave out and fell on its back. "It's over..." I heard him softly said before he walked over to me and crouched down. "Crimson, are you okay? Can you breath?"

I coughed a bit, though the pressure in my chest from the coughing brought in some sharp pains. "I'm..." I breathed. "I'm good...don't worry about me. I can handle myself..." I carefully brought myself up with the support of the wall against me to my feet, but even standing up while breathing sure didn't help out one bit.

I heard a sigh escaping out of his breath. Sounded like a sigh of relief. "Good, that's a relief..." Craig spoke calmly. "I just...wanted to make sure you are still alive. We should keep going, but stay by my side in case those other Nightkin decided to pop up."

_That's a relief? _I questioned. _That's a change..._I didn't want to ask Craig about what he just said, but I rather go by what he said if those Nightkin would want to attack us while being invisible. We continued our way through the hallway to the end where we noticed an open doorway to the right. We got closer inside the room and saw openings that are caged in fences. "Hmm, wonder what that could be."

Craig walked up to my right. "I think I've seen these kinds of things before. They are like jails, but with this you can actually see the prisoners being tortured by whatever means, or keeping an eye on them from above so they won't devise a plan to escape. Heh," he smiled, but it wasn't a good one either. "I wish that can happen to those fucking Legion scum!"

"Well, while you go fantasize about torture, I'll go look around to find a way downstairs." I looked around and notice a door just feet from me. "Something in there?" I mumbled, walking my way to the door and opened it, revealing a small room with some lockers, shelves, and supplies. "Well, this isn't what I was expecting..." I walked in, looking at some junk, books on the floor, batteries, even scrap metal. Nothing I see in this damn room doesn't seem to have something useful for me to get, until I noticed a desk at the end of the room.

"Find what you need?" Craig's voice made me jump out of nowhere. "Shit, you need to learn to expect anybody that comes up right behind you. What if it's another sniper that would shoot your head point blank on the back. Then what are you going to do?"

I growled, even loud enough for Craig to notice. I walked towards the desk and opened up the draw to a key with a little tag saying "JAIL KEY" in big, bold, and sloppy letters. "This can be useful! Harland said his friend ran off deeper into their basement. I wonder if that friend is down there?"

"Might be a big possibility if we don't look ourselves." Craig added. "I noticed another door just left of here that might lead us down there. I can lead you to the door and check it."

"Craig," I turned around to face him. "why are you acting so strange. You're like calm one moment, then irritated by the next few minutes. And now you're a little helpful. I don't get it, what's your deal!? And don't give me any bullshit or anything to try to get out of it." I gave him a serious glare, only to have the glare of his sunglasses shiner from the light of my Pip Boy.

Craig turned around to their door. "Let's just get going..." He calmly said before walking away.

"Figures..." I huffed sharply. I jogged all the way to where Craig had just open the door to a flight of stairs downward. "One way to find out." Me, with Craig behind me, carefully walked down about two flights of stairs towards a door at the end of the pathway.

Craig ran to the door and tried to opened it, but it wouldn't budge one bit. "Damn, door won't open. Now how's are we going to get to the other side." He paused for a bit, then turned his head to the side to see me. "Unless..." Craig then twisted his whole body just as soon as I am a foot from him. "Crimson, maybe that key you just got might be able to open the door."

I flinched my head up and dug my hand into my right coat pocket for their jail key. "Let's try." I walked forward and inserted the key in the keyhole and twist it, making the a click sound as the door automatically opened up. "It worked!" I smiled wide, walking forward the bottom level of the jail. We kept walking towards another closed door that was locked as I use the key to get that to open, revealing another room with three opened doors.

"I wonder which room it is in..." Craig said, walking over to the nearest room closest to us. He stopped, and his stance signified that he had found something. "Is this the friend he is talking about? Looks like one of those followers."

I lowered my brows and ran to the door, seeing a small room with a dead, female ghoul wearing the Bright Followers robe. "Oh my..." I gravely said. "I hope Harland isn't going to be too heartbroken if he finds out about this..." I kept eyeing the ghoul, feeling really bad inside about the fate of the ghoul's life.

"Let's not waste time sulking over a dead ghoul." Craig spoke. "Let's deliver the news so we can get out of this basement and finish this mission."

"Right!" I nodded, following Craig as we ran our way back upstairs. It was a fine jog up the stairs, through the hallways onward the route we went through towards the room where Harland is staying put. "Harland! Harland!" I yelled, getting there ghoul sniper's attention.

Harland walked to the edge and looked down. "Did you find my friend?"

I nodded immediately. "Yes..." I trailed off, looking to the side. "unfortunately..." I wish I can tell him more, but it would probably break his heart...if he has one.

"I see." Harland spoke, hearing him sighing, putting his rifle in his holster. "Damn it, I am going to miss that crooked, yellow smile..." It sounded like he is devastated by the sudden news. "Alright, you did your part, so I'll do mine. Look around up here if you want. I'm going to make a break to topside. Thanks, smoothskin." He hopped down to the floor, without breaking his bones or anything, and ran off.

"That's one down." Craig said from behind me. "Time to do the Nightkin's favor. It should be on the top level. But be careful with the bear traps and explosives. That ghoul sure made this place well armed."

I nodded, eying at their door. "That way." Craig followed me as we ran to the door, opened it to a small set of stairs to the second story. I looked left and noticed a working terminal on a desk with a broken one next to it. I ran over there and turned it on, showing the screen with three subjects saying "Shipment Mistake?", " Workplace Misbehavior ", and " Shipment Sent Back". "_'Shipment sent back'_?" I went to the third passage and skimmed it quickly. "Well, time to break the news to Davidson. Shipment has been sent here by mistake." I eyed Craig.

Craig crossed his arm. "Not that surprising..." He spoke, monotonously. "But, it's one hell of a way on getting them out of here as soon as possible."

I just shrugged and walked past him and down the stairs towards the door on the other side. With a hard left, I ran straight to the room where Davidson is stomping around. He caught sight of me and twisted himself, facing me. "Human female. Antler sings for Stealth Boys. Have you found them?"

"Uhh, about that, Davidson." I began to speak. "Apparently, there is no stockpile of Stealth Boys in this building. I ju-"

"LIAR!" Davidson's face us near mind in the matter of seconds. "The invoice said Stealth Boys here! Antler read it out loud to me! Do you have proof of that!?"

"Davidson, I was about to say, before I was cut off," I barked back. "I just found out in a terminal saying that it was sent over here by mistake. They shipped it back because of employer misbehavior."

Davidson scratched his head and mumbled something inaudible. "But invoice note said Stealth Boys were here! Why can't that note be true?" He turned to the brahmin skull sitting on the desk. "What, Antler?" He paused for a bit. "But could human be lying? Stealing the Stealth Boys for itself!" Another pause, then he chuckled as bit. "Oh, Antler...you trust so easy..." He picked up the skull and turned back to me and Craig. "Your lucky day, humans. Antler believe you. Nightkin will follow the new note for Stealth Boys. Better be there. Antler is sad. We Nightkin can go now, but there is fewer than when we came here..." He, along with some other Nightkin, walked their way through the hallway and out of sight.

"Well, that settles that." I said, crossing my arms and smiling. "I'm glad things got settled in a civilized way. Now, to finish up Jason Bright's journey and we are out of here!" I turned to Craig, who to my surprise is astounded, and staring out, by the outcome of the mission so far. "Craig?"

* * *

_-Craig-_

After witnessing the Nightkin leader walking away with some stupid brahmin skull out of the basement after Crimson's way of persuasion, I am honestly baffled that no sense if violence or any bloodshed has happened. "Craig!" The sound of Crimson's voice snapped me out of my daze.

"Shit, Crimson." I yelled. "Don't fucking scare me like that!"

Crimson glumly stared at me, crossing her arms against her bust. "Geez, tell that to the sniper who did the same to me! Sheesh, maybe you'll come to a realization that it is a good thing our lives aren't in danger now the Nightkin are out of this picture. If things would've been done your way, everything would've never been settled in a compromise."

I have admit, she did manage to settle everything and help others with their needs instead of her own...like she did with mine. "I guess so..." I said, looking at Crimson looking at her device on her left arm.

"It's 12:01 in the afternoon." She proclaimed. "Odd, how it feels later than that. But anyway, let's head back to Jason Bright and tell him the news." She faced herself to the opened doorway and walked through it. "Come on, Craig. Let's finish this up!"

I nod silently, walking my way towards her to the dimly lit hallway. "Crimson," With her gaze fixed at me, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the same bottle cap with the blue star on it. "Catch." I tossed the cap to her, which she did, and noticed her examining the item.

I could've sworn I saw her blue eyes twinkle from the bioluminescence of the star while she stared at it. "What is this?" She asked, her face lit up in awe.

I can only shrug. "Probably some cap that has that specific star. I heard if you get enough of that, you get a prize. But..." I took another glimpse at her through my sunglasses. "but you can have that cap. I'm not interested in some stupid prize."

Crimson looked directly at me and gave me a thoughtful smile. "Thanks, Craig. The star on the cap looks pretty." She smiled even wider when she eyed the little item.

I eyed her, my whole body went still and my mind went completely blank just by that smile. But...something about her smile...just looking at her with that somehow made me feel...different. Something that almost reminds me of Carla, except...


	17. Chapter 16 - The Deed is Done

_**-Come Fly with Me Pt. 6-**_

After the little sorting out with the Nightkin about the mistaken shipment of Stealth Boys, and recieve the sniper ghoul, Harland, the news about his ghoul friend, me and Craig finally made it out of the claustro-fuck of a basement. And with a little surprising gift from Craig, a little bottle cap with a glowing blue star in it, I found a string and made it into a little necklace. "Just because I gave that to you and made that into a necklace doesn't mean you could tell the whole wasteland about it..." Craig said as the both of us walked up the metal stairs.

I held the little bottle cap in between my right index finger and thumb, eyeing the star with the beautiful blue glow. "I know, I just figure I might have something else on me besides the usual. But I won't tell anyone you gave me something. Including Manny." I let the cap drop down and dangle from the string. "But, I'll have to thank you later once this is all done before I have to leave for my next destination."

"You don't have to..." Craig mumbled, but I intend to ignore it. We made it up the last set of stairs to the little room that led towards the door where the Bright Followers are staying at. Craig was faster to the door and opened it quickly to let ourselves in. "Let's get this done, quickly." He told me as he walked right beside me.

I only replied with a nod. _This mission is almost over... _I thought, feeling kind of despondent now that everything in a short amount of time is about to come to an end once we helped Jason Bright achieve his Great Journey. We found Jason, with the four followers behind him, talking to the ghoul speaking scientist. "Jason Bright, I've come with some news for you!" I said, my voice loud enough for the glowing ghoul to shift his gaze at me.

"Oh, news, wanderer?" Jason Bright said as me and Craig stopped feet from him. "Is the way to the basement clear of those demons?"

"Clear as the sun shining through the windows!" I replied, smiling. "It took some time to help them what they need, along with another of your ghoul followers. Everything settled with little to no carnage down there." I quickly eyed Craig's cold and quiet stare, knewing what he will say next. "Well, only three we got rid of because they attacked us out of nowhere."

Jason grabbed my hands and grinned joyfully. "Praise the creator! And bless you wanderer! I can never thank you enough for helping my flock and I achieve our plans for the Great Journey to the Far Beyond!" He released my hands as his hands raised up in the air. "My flock, the wanderers have cleared the way to sacred site! Let's lead our way for the final preparations!" He, along with Harland, the scientist, and the followers, ran past me and Craig towards the door.

"Guess that means one last task before we leave, huh?" Craig asked with his arms crossed against his chest. "Well, better make use of what little time we have here before that happens." He sighed deeply and dropped his arms, walking his way to the opened door ahead of him. Just looking at the way he is walking away from me seems a little...different.

_Something tells me that Craig isn't too happy about something... _I thought, perplexed. _Maybe it's that he wanted to get back to Novac as quick as possible and on to his usual life. _Well, whatever the reason is, everything will be all done once all of the Bright Followers leave the test site. I exhaled and made my way to catch up to everyone.

* * *

I stayed a good distance behind the Bright Followers with my shotgun out while we traveled through the same route in the basement where me and Craig, silent along the walk, spotted Davidson. Through the room with the cabinets and the desk, we made it another room where the scientist is standing near a control panel with a button that says 'OPEN' above it. "Here you go." The scientist said, in a raspy, ghoul-like voice, and pushed the button. The door in the middle of the room opened and revealed a flight of stairs leading down to somewhere. "The sacred site awaits."

"Thank you, Chris. Send in two of our flock with Stealth Boys and get the rest of the parts for the ship. I will have a word with the wanderer before we leave." Jason Bright told the scientist, having two of his followers go to the Chris and followed him out. "Come, my flock and wanderers alike. The sacred site is through the tunnel." Jason made his way down the stairs, with his followers following behind him.

I holster my weapon, which I probably know for a fact that there won't be any more hostile creatures below. "Guess this is it, Craig. Once this is over, it's back to Novac." I didn't look at him in the eyes nor heard him say anything when I said that. I cautiously made my way down the stairs to another room with more control panels everywhere. "There they are." I noticed another opening to my right where the followers are leading through a long tunnel...with an awful smell. I turned my head around to see Craig, walking silently with his head low and fixed on the floor. _I hope you'll live your life without suffering, Craig. I just hate imagining you alone with your wife dead..._I thought, reaching an open door at the end of the tunnel.

Jason Bright is in front of even more control panels with a window behind him, showing a few rockets through it. He is even holding something with both of his hands. "I wanted to speak with you one last time before we my flock and I descend to the launch pad, wanderer. I want you to know that we will remember for all eternity how you delivered us to the threshold of the Great Journey. Chris has already sent a couple of my flock to get the last two components for the rocket to carry my flock and us to salvation."

"Umm," I spoke. "About your scientist friend there...Chris, is it? Why does he called me a smoothskin when he is in fact a human himself, with the ghoulish accent. Is he trying to _act _like a ghoul?"

Jason's smile faded and sighed. "I suppose you deserve to know everything after you've done for us. I really don't want to break any news to Chris that he is in fact human, but we had a discussion about that when we first met with a lack of success. With a whole long talk of convincing he is, it only angered him more. He believes he is one of us, but in my opinion he seemed...lost. Soon enough we realized that Chris has a gift from the creator, and is integral to the success of the Great Journey."

"What did you do about the situation with him?" I asked.

"We decided to let him stay here for a few days," Jason continued. "over the course of which we learned that his technical skills far surpassed our own. It became clear that the creator had sent him to us, to ensure the success of the Great Journey." He eyed the floor. "Equally clear was that Chris should labor in blessed ignorance of his humanity, and his inability to make the journey himself because of the amount of radiation that is held in the launch pad. Vision upon vision has shown that is Chris were to accompany us, he would die in minutes. But the radiation in the Far Beyond is even stronger."

"Wow!" I pulled my eyebrows together disbelief. "You really pulled the wool over his eyes! Chris deserves to knows the truth, even if it angers him a lot more."

Jason shook his head. "I take no pleasure in hiding the truth from Chris. But it is the creator's will, to which I must submit to. He shall be declared the Saint of the Great Journey, along with you and your friend, before we depart." Jason took my rope necklace and replaced it with a metal necklace through the holes of my blue star bottle cap before putting it back on my neck. "This necklace is a gift as what the creator insist me of giving. Me and my flock will remember you always." He looked to the his right. "Astounding, Chris!" He walked over to the scientist with a couple of floating items. "I am surprise the two made it safely in one piece with the parts intact."

The two ghouls appeared out of nowhere, where a small device fell onto the floor with the words 'Stealth Boys'. So those are the devices the Nightkin were searching for. "Yes, now the Great Journey will go as planned, Jason. Do you want me to set them up for you?"

Jason shook his head and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Chris, my friend, let my flock set them up. Your job is to supervise them from up here." Jason, with the two ghouls, walked away to another room. I notice Chris walking over to the window and look what they're doing.

_"Best to tell the scientist the truth..." _Craig murmured to me.

I wish I can, but it will only make matters worse if I did. Well, it's worth a shot. "Chris..." I spoke, making him flinch. "Do you know that you are not a ghoul, but a human?"

Chris groaned and turned to me, with an angered glare. "I've already been in that road, smoothskin. And I don't have the fucking patience for history to repeat itself! I use to be human, growing up in Vault 34, northeast of here. That place is fucking irradiated as shit now, reason why hair felt out so slowly. Some damn humans controlling the place wanting me to fix up the fucking Vault's reactor, they don't fucking mind me being mutated, I'm already ugly as it is! I'm a monster, smoothskin. A monster!"

I lowered my brows. "But Jason told me himself. That place has radiation in it that can kill you in a matter of minutes. Even at this 'Far Beyond' the radiation is even stronger. Please, you have to know the truth, even if it devastate you."

"Leave me alone to my supervision, smoothskin!" Chris walked towards me. "I have no hesitation to punch that damn innocent glare off your face. Your ploy won't work on me, nor your trap. You can plainly see that I am, in fact, a ghoul myself. You can never turn me against the flock I stay with. Now run along!"

I guess that's not making him Budger. "Flock or not, that's great. But you are flesh and blood like me and Craig! You think you are a ghoul like them, why don't you ask anybody else and ask them if you are! You have to believe me, Chris!"

"No..." Chris got even more furious. "I will not believe such fucking lies from a damn smoothskin!" He went to pull his fist up.

_"Gather, all!" _Chris stopped and turned from the sound of Jason's voice coming out of the intercom. The three of us ran to the window, seeing Jason standing near a rocket with all the followers and feral ghouls in the area. _"May the creator guide my words and help me speak true...The almighty creator has seen fit to answer our prayers. The time has come for us to board the rockets and begin the Great Journey. Though it may seem that all humans despise us, the creator has seen fit to instruct us differently. The Journey ahead would have been impossible if not for the intercession of three human friends, two new, the other a long-abiding companion."_

"W-What!?" Chris said, in shocked. "How...could I...Oh god!" Anguish seemed to have overcome Chris from what he had heard from Jason in the launching pad.

_"To our new friends," _Jason continued, referring to me and Craig. _"we say thanks, and promise never to forget how they cleared from our path the demons who sought to stay, keeping us away from our Journey. But to Chris, we owe more than thanks. Chris, my friend, you have made this Great Journey a reality. From this moment forward, you will be remembered as the Saint of the Great Journey. We shall never forget you. I ask that you forgive us, Chris, and give us your blessing, and we bestow ours upon you. Seekers, board the rockets, take your seats. The Great Journey awaits! To the promised land we go! To the Far Beyond! Wanderers, please go to the mission control and let us leave. Enjoy your gift, female wanderer." _Jason, the followers, and the feral ghouls boarded the ship one by one.

"Like I would ever to forgive them for getting duped like this..." Chris spoke, turning to me and Craig. "They used me and threw me away like everyone else! Now what am I going to do!?" Chris sounded devastated. "I should've believed you, smoothskin, from the start. What's next for me?"

I pressed my chin with my right index and thumb. "Maybe..." I spoke. "Maybe you can come with us to Novac. Probably you can live there." I hope this plan will work.

"You sure that's a good idea?" Craig interject. "I mean, he said he is a monster." I think that last word was a bland sarcasm. "Maybe he doesn't want to go, it's his choice."

Chris simply nodded. "Toughskin's right, smoothskin." Great, now there are even more nicknames. "But, I guess that is the only chance I've got. Maybe it'll be different this time. But I can't believe I am agreeing to this, but I'll give it a try. Come, I'll show you the way to the mission control." Chris, with me and Craig behind him, proceed to walk all the way to the mission control room.

* * *

"Alright, here we are." Chris said, opening a door to a small room with a lookout that shows a dome top building, probably the REPCONN Test site main building. "Go ahead and push the button. They are waiting for their Great Journey."

I bobbed my head as I walked to a small control panel with a red button on it. With a quick press, some sort of music is playing in the background as the building far from here opened up with the rockets raised up. "Huh?" The thrusters of the rockets ignited and lifted the rockets out of the launch pad, though one of them made me jump backwards after it almost look like it was about to crash over here. "Holy...shit!" I yelled, huffing really heavily.

"I got your back..." Craig said, having his arms under my arms before I fell. Just the tone of his voice somehow made me blush.

"Alright, now that is done and over with, can you two lovebirds show me the way to Novac?" Chris said, eyeing Craig and I.

I just gave him a glare. "Not lovebirds..." Surprisingly, I heard Craig saying the same thing I sad together. I propped myself onto my feet and off of Craig's arms. "Alright, it's just across the street from here." I said, leading the way back to Novac.

* * *

"Wow, welcome back you two!" Manny said, waiting for the three of us beside Dinky the Dino as we walked all the way from the test site to Novac. "I noticed those rockets flew off of there, are the ghouls gone?"

I nodded immediately. "No longer there, Manny! In fact, we have brought someone who might be of use here. This is Chris. He use to be in Vault 34, and he is a great supervisor, scientist, and he can fix things!"

Manny eyed Chris with a raised eyebrow. "Hmm, is that so?"

Chris eyed me with his eyes wide. "S-Smoothskin! W-Well, I've never expect anybody like her to comment on my strengths. But, I am flatter." For the first time, I can actually see him smile. I hope I can be of use over here, just let me get myself settled." Chris patted my shoulder as he walked away to the lobby.

I fixed my gaze at Manny, my arms crossed on my chest, my expression now dead serious. "Alright, Manny. A deal is a deal. Now that I've handled the ghoul problem, I think you've got some information about the checker suit guy I am looking for. And I want the _full _details!"

Manny nodded. "If it's full details you want, I got them as promised. The guy you're looking for, Benny, he was traveling with some members from my old gang. They are going to Boulder City, straight up Route 93 from here and north up the road. Though I have no idea why, but I know Benny hadn't pay up yet. Maybe that was where they were suppose to get square."

I smiled happily, but highly satisfied about the answers he gave me. I reached my arm out with my palm open for a shake. "Thank you so much, Manny! Glad we have our problems settled afterwards."

"Anytime." Manny took my hand and shook it. "Be sure to stop by anytime if you need anything. Be safe out there." Releasing our grip, he turned to walk the same direction where Chris went to.

I kept smiling and balled my fists up. _Yes! _I cheered in my head. _It's about time I found out the name of my would-be killer and the route I am taking next! _But something popped out of my head that made my smile fade. I turned to see Craig, who is leaning against the fence with his arms folded. "Craig..." I murmured before walking to him. He didn't make any eye contact when I stopped a foot from him. "I..." I spoke softly. "I guess this means we part ways, right?"

Craig slowly moved his head at me with the sun shining against his face, making both of his eyes visible behind his sunglasses. "What do you mean?" He asked, making me confused in an instant.

"Well..." I spoke again, looking off to the east. "now that the ghoul problem has been taking care of, I'm probably thinking that the companionship is done, as you said. And that you also said that you've wanted to return to Novasc as soon as possible and continue your life as usual. So, I have to respect that. I'll be on my way to my next destination." I begin walking away from him.

"Crimson, wait." Craig said, making me stop just a few feet away from him. I turned around, noticing him off of the gate with his sunglasses off, his green eyes staring directly at me. I think I felt a blush forming on my face. "There's something that has been bothering me for a while. Sooner or later, somebody is going to find Crawford's killer, which would be me if I stay here much longer. So, after a lot of pondering during the time over at the test site...I've been thinking..." He walked his way to me and stopped when he is a foot from me. "Maybe I can wander the Wasteland...like you." I noticed his arm moved slightly.

Blushing, I moved my head down to see his hand in the space between us, like he wants to accompany me in my journey. I shifted my head back to the cold, but somehow patient expression on his face. "You...want to...come with me!?" I astonishingly asked, with a quick nod from him. It took me a while to process the whole situation in my amnesiac brain. I smiled determiningly and nodded back, grabbing his hand and shook it once. "Alright. Glad you've made it official!" I said, releasing our grip.

Craig out his sunglasses back on his face. "But," he spoke, making me stop smiling. "since we are going to work as a pair, I think there are some things I am going to teach you while we are on our way to Boulder City. It might be difficult at first, but you will get use to it once you've gotten the hang of it."

I gulped.

* * *

_**((Ugh, didn't expect this chapter to be so long! . But hey, I'm not complaining! XD I hope you've enjoyed this chapter readers and be willing to leave a review if nessecary. I guess from now on the chapters will be even longer! See you next chapter, readers! :3 -CS,))**_


	18. Chapter 17 - What Lies in the Rubble

_**-They Went That-A-Way Pt. 2-**_

After receiving a much need information contained the whereabouts on my supposed killer, Benny, Craig joins along side with me as my official companion as we head our way to Boulder City. Though, Craig wants to teach me something before we continue our way over there, but the kind of area he picked isn't what I expected...in seclusion. "Umm...are you sure this is a good idea, Craig? What if I don't like it?"

Craig groaned and sighed. "Look, if you are not going to learn this, what's the point in me teaching you!? Now, get into position and I'll tell you if you got it right!" He stared at me with his usual cold expression behind his sunglasses. "Everything will be fine..."

I gulped, feeling highly nervous about the situation I am in. "How will I know if this is a good position to be in!? Just you being behind is making me even more nervous! Can we try this at another day, maybe after we get to Boulder City!?"

"No!" Craig barked. "Now maintain position and do it!"

I groaned and knelt down, eyeing my target from where I am at. _ Just hope this is a good idea, Craig..._ I thought, taking a deep breath as I held on. I took about a minute to maintain my composure and clear my mind away from the jitters that was still within me. I took a shot of it, and waited for a moment for the results.

"Nope..." Craig spoke. "do it again."

I eyed him. "WHAT!?" I yelled. "That was a good one! Why do you want me to do it again with that little thing!?" I can tell nothing is going to end well if this is going to continue.

Craig crossed his arms. "If you are going to make a good head shot, I advise you to stay still and quiet. And from this angle, I believe you won't miss it if you have another try at it. Maintain position and try again. And this time, a little more to the side."

_I know I won't get the hang of it... _I thought to myself as I got back into position. I took another deep breath and eyed what's in front of me. "Fuck...this isn't going to work. I can't do it. You being behind me and staring directly at me isn't going to make anything better!"

"Your a fucking nervous wreck, Crimson!" He yelled at me. "How do you expect to learn from what I'm teaching you if you end up like this. You need to maintain yourself if you are going to go through with this, and I know it is not easy to handle it!"

I stood on my feet and face directly at him. "Then ask me why I have to position myself on a ledge just 1000 feet away from a little insignificant mantis down there. Would it be better if I have to snipe about a lesser distance than this?" I kept a hold of my shotgun while eyeing Craig with his arms still folded on his chest.

Craig shook his head and sighed before walking forward with his rifle drawn out. He positioned quickly and took a shot at the mantis. I walked to his side and noticed the mantis is dead. "The whole point of sniping is to kill your enemies with stealth at a long distance so they won't know where the direction of the bullet came from. While I was in the NCR, they've trained a handful of snipers, including me, to snipe at a distance of 1000 feet. They even put them to a challenge at sniping an even longer distance than that."

I holster my shotgun behind me. "Were you one of those that did the challenge? Judging the way you shot that mantis's head from here with no sweat, I mean..."

Craig holster his weapon and turned to me. "No, they haven't. Though they were thinking of assigning me to do that until they transferred me to Camp Golf with Varges. But they knew that how insurmountable my sniping training went, I would've surpassed a regular sniper." Craig turned around and walked a few feet away from me. "Again, Crimson. Maintain position, eye on the target, deep breath and shoot. The more you do this, the more you'll get the hang of it."

"Alright. I'll try again." I said, dropping down to one knee and took my shotgun out of its holster. Quickly positioned it near my eye, I look closely at the area I am spotting for a target. "No targets so far..."

"At times like this, it takes patience." Craig added. "Other times you have to shoot without question. But if you were in my shoes back then..." He trailed off, stopping there.

I turned my head to him, perplexed. "Back then? What happened back then?"

Craig sneered in an irritated way. "That part of my life is over with...and so is this conversation. Now, maint-"

"Maintain position, I know, I know..." I groaned as I repeated what Craig was about to say. I twist my head back forward and carefully surveyed the area. So far, I have not seen anything moving around the wasteland along Route 93. "Nothing still..." I mumbled to myself, still eyeing the distance as I trail the road to the right. "Huh?" I lowered my gun and noticed three people with their weapons in hand as they run along the roadway up north. "Raiders...they're running after something..." I kept eyeing them, until a fourth person started fighting them. "Or someone!"

I heard Craig running to my side. "What is it? What do you see?" I can tell he is highly alert.

"It..." I took another look at what the three raiders are attacking. "It looks like an NCR soldier!?"

"What!?" Craig said, staying silent for a few seconds. "NCR! We got to help that soldier, and quick!" Craig, without a warning, jumped down from the ledge, which isn't that far of a drop, and stopped feet from it. "Come on Crimson!"

I holster my weapon and hopped down the same way Craig did. I landed, though I almost fell on my ass, safely on the ground before standing back up to my feet. "I'm right with you!" We begin running as fast as was can to the road and north where the raider ran off to. We kept running until we spotted a small gas station just up ahead across a large area infested with large ants, where those same three raiders are attacking a lone NCR soldier.

"Get back!" The NCR solder said, a female due to her voice, using only a small knife to fend them away from herself. "I-I said stay back, you damn petty raid-WAH!" the NCR soldier somehow tripped over a cylindrical, metal object on the ground and fell on her bottom. "Aurgh, my ankle!" She yelled in pain.

"You go on and try to back them away from her." Craig suggested, taking his rifle out. "I'll try to shoot them from a distance."

I nodded. "I will." I took out my large hunting knife from the sheath on the right side of my hip and tackled one of the raiders down. The raider female pushed me off of her as I was just moments from stabbing her on the chest. The knife fell out of my hand and landed feet from me where another raider took a home of it. The one with my knife got shot in the head by Craig, making the knife come back to me. "Yes!" I quickly grabbed the knife and sliced the neck of another make raider just as he was about to hit me with a pipe.

"Bitch," the female raider growled, punched me on the face so hard that I fell onto the gound. The female raider cracked her knuckles, taking her 9mm out from her side and aimed at me. "this'll fucking teach you not to mess with the Jackal gang!" With a smile showing on her face, a bullet went directly to her face, making her head explode into chunks.

"Go to hell..." I heard the female NCR soldier said, walking, and limping, up to me with her hand extended to me. The solder is described as an African American with jet black hair in a bun, her eyes a chocolate brown glimmered from the sun. "I can never thank you enough, civilian. That'd be one more casualty the NCR might have to endure."

I never said a word to her, other than the fact that she called me a 'civilian'. Of course, she's a soldier to be exact. I grabbed her hand tightly and got pulled right back to my feet. "Anytime..." I said, putting my knife back in its sheath. "just glad me and Craig spotted you from a distance when those raiders were about to attack you."

"Craig?" She questioned, an eyebrow raised. "Who is this Craig you speak of, ma'am?"

"That'd be me, miss." I heard Craig walking towards me and the soldier while reloading his rifle. "I believe the one beside you was the one that noticed the raiders and you far off in a distance where we were at. You should probably thank her for noticing you."

The NCR soldier stared at Craig, dumbfounded and silent. "Wait a minute...red beret... sniper rifle...cold eyes!?" Her voice became a pitch higher. "N-N-N-N-No waaaaaaay!" Her face somehow lit up with bliss...confusing me entirely. "That's a 1st Recon! Oh my god, a 1st Recon saving my life from a band of petty raiders! My life's dream has really come true!" She ran up to Craig, giving him a huge hug around hig big torso. "Has an angel sent for someone as stupendous as y-"

Craig broke her hold with force and placed his rifle back in his holster. "I'm flattered...but I am not in the NCR anymore..." He walked up to me and shot me a glare. "Are you okay?" Just the way he asked me that made me fluster a bit, not to mention making me confused.

"Hey!" The soldier yelled. "How can she get all the shots from an ex-NCR sniper when I don't!" She pouted, crossing her arms over her uniform. She mumbled something else, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. "Easy there, Natalie...cant get yourself all worked up and act all child-like just because a lowly civilian has a 1st Recon with her, no siree!" I heard her taking as deep breath and glared at me. "My deepest apologies you two on my outburst. Guess I got myself out of hand. I am Recruit Sanders, Natalie Arlene Sanders of the NCR! I have just recently been enlisted into the army, around five days ago...so...uhh...nice to meet you, civilian!" She stood up straight with her hand up as a salute.

I heard Craig groaned from beside me. "I've heard of standing at attention, but from a new recruit it feels so embarrassing..." He said, only to me.

"Erm...it's nice to meet you, I guess." I said, laughing weakly. "Oh, I guess I should introduce myself, too. I am Crimson, and...I am kind of wondering why an NCR soldier is out here in plain sight when you know there might be more hostility popping up everywhere around here."

Thee soldier giggled, which creeper my out. "Oh, I will answer you question, just that I forgot to put _ mine _on!" She reached into her uniform and pulled up the same red beret as Craig's and place it on her head. "Pretty neat, huh? I guess a little touch up should do the trick! I never leave anywhere without it!"

My eyes widen at her. "You're a 1st Recon as well!?"

"What, me?" The soldier giggled again. "No, I'm not. I got this beret from my father four years ago before he perished in the battle lines as a little remembrances of him. I also consider it as a good luck charm. But anyways, I was just on my way to Boulder City to pay my respects to him until I heard a distress call coming from my NCR emergency radio that the Great Khans have tooken two of our men hostage."

I flinched. "Wait, Boulder City...Great Khans!? Me and Craig are on our way there! I have someone that I needed to settle a score with over there, and I am now wondering if you can take us there, please?"

Natalie shook her head. "Negative." Her voice all serious, but trying to act like it. "I'm afraid we can't let you go in there, figure there might be some heavy gunfire happening if we do set one foot in the perimeters. Plus, those Great Khans are tough sons of bitches, from what I've heard. And I think they were also the same people that were in Bitter Springs..."

"Bitter Springs?" I asked. "What's th-"

"That's enough!" Craig intercepted and yelled. "Can we fucking drop the conversation and get to Boulder City right now and deal with those Great Khans!? I don't want any more of those soldiers get killed mercilessly without reason!"

"Alright, alright!" Natalie said to Craig. "But I must warn you, even if I try convincing my superior in letting a civilian walk in there and enter enemy lines, it won't be enough. But if it does work, one ounce of her betrayal and we won't hesitate but to shoot her down. Follow me." She jogged past me without saying anything to me.

I froze in place from fear. I never would imagine a whole group of soldiers gun me down and killing me if I _do _draw my gun at them. I feel sick just by thinking about it right now. Craig walked up to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, his face directly at me. "I'm letting you know that even though I am not in the NCR anymore doesn't mean I am not one of them anymore. If you do shoot one of them, the only thing I will be seeing through my scope is your head." I gulped, now highly petrified at Craig's warning. "But after witnessing what you've done so far, I believe you won't betray them. I will make sure to keep an eye on you through my scope if anything were to come at you." Craig dropped his hand off of my shoulder and jogged past me to catch up to Natalie.

"Thanks..." I mumbled before turning around and ran as fast as I could to catch up to the two.

* * *

It took the three of us a while to make it to the place of Boulder City, including fighting off some fire breathing giant ants. We huffed for a wehilke as we walked past a large stone with words on it. "What's that huge stone over there, Natalie?"

"Not just _a _stone, Crimson." Natalie spoke. "That is a monument to remember the hundreds of men and women who fought four years ago against the Legion over the First Battle at Hoover Dam. The rangers lured the best of Caesar's Legion into the city, blowing the whole town up into rubble. The NCR still lost a bunch of troops in the fighting, though. A friend of my father's said that my dad sacrificed himself to evacuated the wounded out to safety."

"Oh, man..." I said, in a solemn tone. "I'm...sorry to hear that, Natalie. I bet it must've been tough living without a father in your life." We continued walking over to where a barrel with fire is at.

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine. At least he died for the people he wanted to protect." Natalie made a brisk pace towards an NCR soldier guarding a door feet from him. "New recruit Natalie Sanders reporting to assist the hostage situation, Lieutenant Monroe, sir!" Natalie stood and salute. "I also have myself a civilian and a former NCR 1st Recon with me to assess the problem."

"A civilian and a 1st Recon..." the one named Monroe turned and eyed me and Craig for a moment. "Now I've seen everything..." I heard the lieutenant say before shifting his attention to Natalie. "At ease, soldier. But you know this place is under strict lockdown until the situation with the Great Khans is resolved. We need to find a way in getting the hostages away from them without them getting killed."

I walked forward a few steps, with Craig keeping a distance with me. "Sir, I hate to interject. But mind telling me about what has happened with the Great Khans?"

Lieutenant Monroe eyed me. "I wish I can tell you it is none of your concerned, but since new recruit Sanders decide to go against my direct orders, I might as well let it slide." He turned to Natalie. "Expect a meeting with me back in Camp McCarren about your disobedience once we've handled everything here." With his hands behind his back, he turned back to me. "One of my patrols was on its way back from Novac when it came under fire from the Great Khans. They radioed for reinforcements, but instead of waiting for us, they chased the Khans into the ruins where they were caught in a crossfire. Though no deaths, but not all of the squad got out. The Khans in there have Private Ackerman and Private Gilbert as hostages."

"Well," I spoke, crossing my arms over my chest. "Maybe there is some way that I can negotiate with them. Those Great Khans there might have something of mine - a Platinum Chip. And I would like to retrieve it."

"Once the Great Khans have been either killed or captured, you are more than welcome to retrieve any property they've taken from you." Monroe spoke. "Normally, I'd turn you down not because you have a former NCR 1st Recon at your side, but because I have completely no idea who you are, but considering that the hostages are as good as dead when we attack." He let out a sigh and moved to the right as few feet. "I'm going to give you a chance to talk to the Great Khans. Their leader is a man name Jessup. Recruit Sanders will escort you and 1st Recon over there, but if we hear any shooting, we'll be coming in...but it'll probably be late for you."

Natalie took her gun out from her holster and waited by the door. "Let's better make this quick guys. I don't want those privates dying in the hands of those scum."

"Sanders," Monroe spoke up, making Natalie's attention go to him. "punishment will be reduced on how well you performed on your first non drilled hostage situation. Don't tread on the Bear, you hear? Just because your father was one of the best doesn't mean you can be one right away. Dismissed!"

Natalie nodded vigorously. "Y-Yes, sir! Right away sir!" She faced me and Craig, acting like she is in head of command. "Come along, 1st Recon and civilian! I shall take you to the lines of the enemy. Keep a close pace with me and don't open fire." She opened the gate, letting me ad Craig, along with herself, through.

"Holy shit...!" I murmured, following Natalie further in the city to a huge, messy rubble. I notice a few NCR soldiers taking position nearest to the gate behind us as they face a building just meters away from were we're standing. "Are the Great Khans in that building there?" I asked, referring to the building.

"Considering it might be..." Craig spoke. "Fucking Khans...just looking at them brings back memories...painful ones..." He grunted and eyed me. "And we are not to discuss anything about my past by any means, even if I do trust you..."

I wish I can ask why he doesn't, but that would make matters worse. "I understand. I'll make a promise to never mention anything about everything from you. Let's go." I followed Natalie, with Craig behind me, carefully over the rubble towards the building where the Great Khans reside. As we inched our way closer, I noticed a Great Khan lady with the two NCR hostages at gunpoint.

Natalie stopped at the small door beside her. "I have an NCR emergency radio just in case I need to contact Lieutenant Monroe for any details of the negotiation. Good luck!"

"Thanks." I said, walking over to the door just as soon as Natalie opened it. I looked around to see even more Great Khans standing around a room with a counter in the center. And behind the counter comes one recognizable face from my death defying 'dream' that rendered me speechless with fury. "YOU!" I yelled, my eyes directly fixed at the Great Khan with the mohawk.

"What...the...fuck!?" was all the guy, Jessup, ever said when he caught sight of me..r


	19. Chapter 18 - Peace Within One

_**-Boulder City Showdown-**_

With an assist from a newly recruited NCR soldier, Natalie Sanders, to the war torn Boulder City in search of Benny for the Platinum Chip, I caught sight of one of the Great Khans that I recognized that night before I got shot. I stood in silence, my vengeful eyes making contact with his, whom he is called Jessup. Natalie came up to my side with her shotgun in hand. "Wait, you know this Great Khan leader?"

I didn't have to eye her nor Craig for my answer, as my gaze was mainly fixed on Jessup. "Unfortunately. He was one of their two thugs that were with a checker suit guy name Benny that shot me and stole the Platinum Chip, and left me to die!" My hands are now clenched into fists as the blood in me boiled out of rage.

"Yes, and you're the same courier that Benny wasted in Goodsprings." Jessup added, his arms crossed against his chest. "I'm surprised that thick skull of yours manage to survive that bullet. But, you look really different from nights ago...but anywho. Why are you here with a squirt and a murderer!?"

"Wait, courier!?" Natalie shrieked at my ear, with Craig standing behind her as silent as ever. "You never told me that you are the courier the guy in the radio mentioned! I have received direct orders after I completed my training to meet you near the Mojave Outpost to escort you to your destination! Who knew someone like you can be that special, civilian!"

I snarled. "Enough of the fucking name calling, I've had enough of that for one day!" I yelled at Natalie, then shift my eyes at Jessup. "I'm here because you and your friend have something of mine, something that was stolen..." I walked up to him standing behind a counter, the Great Khans circling me with their guns raised. "The Platinum Chip, where did Benny ran off to with it!?"

"Uhh, yeah..." Jessup hesitated as he scratched his Mowhawk head. "I don't have it. Benny stole it, right before he stabbed us in the back. Fuck, he even killed my friend McMurphy just when he was about to jump on Benny for doing that. Shot him on the stomach, he's probably back at the Strip by now, laughing at me like he did with anyone else.

I raised an eyebrow. "Wow, I'd figure he only shot me just because I got the chip. But why betray you? What is it about him and the chip that seemed so special for each other!?" I needed more answers about him, hopefully I'll know who I'm up against.

"Benny..." Jessup groaned and shook his head. "He's a fucking snake. He owed us the rest of the pay for the job, so maybe he didn't want to pay up. He's also one of the Chairmen, big shots who run The Tops casino in New Vegas. A friend from the city contacted me with info on a big job. I've should've known that the caps were too good to be true, but there was still no way I can pass up the chance. And that chip, just some big, fancy poker chip as far as I know. Don't know why anyone would make one out of platinum, though. But right now, I'm a little bit tied up..."

Natalie walked forward a foot to my left. "Exactly, so does us NCR. Reason why is that you've took two of our finest men hostage and created a huge scene here in this graveyard of NCR military! Now, please release the hostages now, or I will have my Lieutenant Monroe on stand by and raise their guns at your heads!"

"Now, hold up a second, Natalie!" I interject, making her stand down. "I know you need to free your NCR brethren, but that's no way to fucking raise your barrel at them whenever your feel like it. I say we should settle a negotiation between the NCR and the Khans."

I heard Craig walked from behind me and sighed. "Crimson, are you that crazy? How can their be a negotiation between two factions who typically despised each other for who knows how long!?"

Jessup nodded. "I agree with him. What's there to negotiate? Any moment those soldiers will pull the hammer back and attack the Khans. I say the NCR backs off, we walk out of here, nobody gets hurt. If you got another suggestion, let me hear it."

I pondered for a moment after hearing Jessup's suggestion. Eyeing his fellow friend, lifeless and a hole on his lower torso, I guess I got no other option. "How about you free the hostages, and I'll have the NCR escort you out of their territory."

Jessup groaned, rubbing his forehead with his left hand. "Augh, I can't believe I'm doing this, but all right. Me and the Khans will follow you out with the two hostages to the gate. The NCR better keep their end of the deal, though. As promised, no bullets, no bloodshed, no casualties. I am all open palms."

"Good, I will let the soldiers know not to shoot at you once we are within their perimeters. Follow me." Natalie said, walking over to the door and opened it for all of us to step foot outside. We all walked to the other room where the two NCR hostages are being held on gunpoint by the female Khan.

Jessup moved forward towards the Khan lady. "Hey, go ahead and release them. Courier here decided to talk to the NCR in letting us free."

"Okay, just hope she knows what she's doing." She said, with an unfamiliar accent. She went to the backs of the NCR troops and untied the ropes to set them free.

Natalie walked up and stood at attention, saluting them. "NCR Privates Gilbert and Ackerman, I am NCR's newest recruit Natalie Arlene Sanders here with 1st Recon and civilian to escort you two and the Great Khans to the Boulder City gate and to Lieutenant Monroe!"

"At ease, Boots." One of the soldiers said. "Let's just head on out of this mess." The two ran away from all of us.

Natalie reached into her uniform pocket for a small radio with a small, two headed animal on the side of it. "Bear Trap, I repeat Bear Trap, this is Little Cub! Hostages have been released. Khans will be escorting with us to your perimeters. Stand down, I repeat, stand down!" She said to the little device.

_"Copy that, Little Cub." _a voice was heard through the speaker. _"Bear Trap standing down, over." _

"Bear Trap, and Little Cub?" I asked. "What is that, more name calling?"

Natalie put her little device away in her uniform. "No, we of the NCR use specific code names in case we are ever in a situation like this. Our insignia is the two headed grizzly bear, quite like the skull on 1st Recon's and my father's beret. But, no time. Let's meet up with Lieutenant Monroe." As of that, we all sprint ourselves forward across the rubble and over towards the unarmed troops towards the opened gate that lead to Monroe appearing at the doorway.

"I'm really glad you were able to set my people free, with an assistance of the Khans behind you. " his tone is neutral, but somehow grave. "But there is a new problem, I just received word from the general as an order to take out the Khans, hostages or not. Because holding an NCR troop of a high status is considered a crime, it is a result of an immediate execution."

I stepped up quickly to Monroe. "Sir, these Great Khans have considered letting the two hostages go in exchange of leaving your territory. Please, you have to let them go, sir.

"Crimson," I heard Craig to my right as he pulled up. "if you are part of the NCR, you'll know that you can't disobey an order once it's been made."

Monroe nodded. "1st Recon is right. My hands are tied tightly. I can't go against orders, even if those involved letting the kidnappers go free..." His brows lowered, perplexed about something. "can't I?" He started scratching his cheek.

Natalie walked up to my side. "Lieutenant Monroe, sir. I know what civilian said mighty not sound like as good idea," I groaned at her still calling me that. "but, my father use to talk to me about how war affects people they witness. Sure, it's horrific and devastated, but we know that if we let someone have a second chance at life, it would diminish bloodshed and deaths all around. There are still some good people there that would do anything to have peace in the wasteland, and help protect those we held dear and care about, even at the cost of their life! So please, sir, if you have that integrity, you'll honor the deal."

Monroe eyed Natalie as a small tear slowly fell down his eye. He wiped it with his uniform sleeve. "If only your father is here, I bet he would want to say he is proud of you for choosing wise words. Alright, the Great Khans are free to go. Sanders, I need you to report to Camp McCarren on your minor pubishmernt. I'll radio in General Hsu about your arrival and report. Dismiss." Monroe walked away.

"Hey, courier, catch!" I caught a shiny object as Jessup and the Great Khans begin walking away. "That's Benny's lighter. Do me a favor and shove it up his pansy ass when you meet him at The Tops. Tell him I did you as favor." With a small farewell, he and the other Khans made their way west to wherever they're going.

"So..." I heard Craig from behind me. "when are you going to tell us that you are the courier everyone has been talking about, even on the radio?" I turned and saw him in his usual stern posture and cold expression. "And what does that Khan mean by you looking really different nights ago? Did you somehow changed identity!?"

I huffed, twisting myself to him. "Craig, I don't know, okay? I woke up thinking I had a horrific dream of bring shot by Benny at Goodsprings, which turned out to be real, and next thing I know...I don't know anything. A doctor there said I have amnesia when I got shot. And I've been having these headaches from time to time, sometimes it knocks me out or it'll show me a memory of something. But I don't know what these visions are." I moved my head down, looking at my left hand with the Pip Boy still on my wrist. "All I know is, I hope I can find answers to myself and travel in search of them. And confront Benny as to why he did that and took a damn chip..."

Craig went silent and looked away. "I guess...Victor was right..."

"Victor?" Natalie said. "Who's he, a friend?"

I shook my head. "No one of importance, Natalie." I said, my gaze still fixed on Craig. "You've had a talk with Victor!? About what?" Now things are heating up since Victor's name has spoken.

Craig remained silent, but exhaled out of his nose before turning his head to me. "Victor, back at the REPCONN Test site, mentioned to me that the killer shot you and gave you amnesia, and that the reason you haven't die is because of your good nature to others. I kept on assuming you were part of the Legion acting as a spy on their behalf to get inside NCR borders. But...since he said that, it made me think twice before I decided to run back and save you from being a ghoul's target. You're like me, trying to survive the wasteland and protect those, even if you don't want to. That's why...I've decided to come along with you." He fell silent after that.

Flabbergasted, it felt like my whole body didn't want to move after what appears to be somewhat of a confession in my ears. A smile somehow stretched across my face as I ran to him and hugged him tight. "Aww, I knew there was a soft side to that disgruntled and cold persona of yours!"

"Get the fuck off of me, Crimson!" Craig yelled, shoving me off of him. "Just because I told you something that I wish I hadn't told you doesn't mean you have to put me in that kind of hold like that! And I don't have a soft side!"

I giggled, awkwardly. "Oh yes you do! You're concerned!"

Craig pulled put his rifle at me, make me step back in shock. "Say one more fucking word about me and you will taste lead in minutes. Now, forget about what I said and don't tease me again. I've already have enough of Varges telling me about the connection..." He holster his rifle back behind him.

I sighed and eyed Natalie. "So...Jessup said that Benny is at the Strip. But..." I twisted my body in different directions. "I have no idea where that place is. I wish I know my sense of direction..."

Natalie turned me around to the left and pushed me forward. "Maybe if your eyes are in check, you would've known that New Vegas is a sight to see!" She pushed and pushed me forward and past the memorial stone to my left and made a small turn to the right. "If you can just look at that tower far off over there, that is New Vegas!"

I took a look at a tower sticking out like a sore thumb in the horizon in awe. "New...Vegas?" I murmured as I ran forward to get a better view at it. I kept running and running towards it and noticed more of the p!ace in one view. "So, that's where he i-AUGH" a wave of inflicting pain swept across my head as I place both of my hands on my head out of instinct. The sound was inaudible, but an image popped up, showing the same tower there...but up close.

"Crimson!" I heard Craig yelled. "Crimson, are you okay!?"

I kept myself standing until the pain left my head. Once it is away completely, I opened my eyes and released my hands off my head. "It...it feels like I've b-"

"Well, howdy there! Fancy meeting you here, friend!" I turned quickly to the familiar voice, and sure enough it was the robot cowboy Victor. "My, my. It appears you have a new friend accompany you, Ms. Crimson. Even Mr. NCR Recon has decided to protect you!"

Craig growled underneath his breath. "Drop it, Victor...I don't want to be reminded of anything like that! Ever!"

"Heh..." I laughed weakly. "Isn't it nice to see you, Victor. But, my question is that how did you find me here? Never had anything following me every so often."

Victor's robot hand grinded against his metallic head. "Yyyyep, but this is getting might embarrassing...people are going to start to talk." He chuckled. "But I'm just rolling along on my spurs. Looks like I just might make it to New Vegas after all. But, I guess it is down to you and fancy-pants Benny. I wouldn't worry about him...he looked all hat and no cattle if you ask me."

"Wait..." Natalie spoke. "That's Victor!? That's the one you and 1st Recon were talking about!? I figure he would be human or some junkie!"

"Junkie? Now hold on there, young lady." Victor said, raising his robot arms around. "I don't know what kind of vault you went crawlin' out of, but I am a Securitron. And so happen to know that I was the one that dug Ms. Crimson out of her grave just a five set of nights ago. She was lucky I came by and saved her hide from fancy pants and his darn tootin' ways. Without her, ya'lls lives would've been completely different."

We went silent, hearing Victor's advice sounded pretty accurate. If I was not around, I wouldn't have helped find Craig's wife's seller, or maybe save Natalie's life from a group of raiders. Hell, even the people from Goodsprings, Primm, and Novac. If I have never existed, where will they be? "You got a point there..." I heard Craig said.

"I sure you do." Victor said. "I best be rolling to New Vegas. If you are ever in town, look me up when you get there. I'll buy the first round!" Victor rolled past us to the road stretching towards New Vegas.

I eyed the city far beyond the horizon. Standing firm, I closed my eyes to envision my would-be killer, Benny, building up motivation to keep going in my journey. "I guess the road to New Vegas begins here. And I am going to need all of help I can get in retrieving that Platinum Chip from him and deserve answers. And finding out my past, and what my memories mean."

Craig walked to me and eyed the city. "That was the place where I met Carla. I'd never figure I would be heading back to the place where I've met her. But," he turned to me. "it will be different now. That place is NCR territory, and even if I am no longer in the NCR, doesn't mean I can't protect them."

It is great that Craig is willing to do something to keep the NCR safe, but something about him mentioning his wife send a knife to my chest, and it hurts for some reason. "If you have enough time gazing at New Vegas," Natalie spoke, snapping our gaze at her. "maybe we can head over there right now? The three of us!"

I lit up with excitement. "Say no more, Natalie! Let's get to it!" I turned around to the direction to New Vegas, kicking myself into high gear and began running to it. I didn't have a chance to look back and see if Craig and Natalie are running along, all my mind way focused on confronting Benny.. _Just you wait, Benny! I'm coming for you and the chip. And I demand answers!_


	20. Chapter 19 - From the Brotherhood

_**-They Went That-A-Way Pt. 3-**_

On the long road towards the Strip in New Vegas to confront Benny at The Tops, I walked, after tiring out from running, after a no bloodshed gunfiught between the NCR and the Great Khans in Boulder City. I felt my stomach growled as I eyed the setting sun ahead of me. "Damn, I don't think we are going to make it to New Vegas before sunset." I eyed my Pip Boy, reading tyhe time saying 4:14 pm on it. "Plus, I doubt there is anything to chow down here..."

Natalie, the new NCR recruit, walked beside me and looked around. "How about there?" She pointed to a hill with a trailer sitying atop from it with a fkag waving in the air. "I see an NCR flag flying there. I think..." She took out a small piece of paper and ufold it to a larger one. "Yep, that's the 188 Trading Post. The merchants come here to trade off some goods with the NCR troops whose post is over here. My dad took me here one day before he got stationed at Camp Forlorn Hope."

"Camp Forlorn Hope? Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while." Craig, my sniper companion, spoke from behind us. "We should make a stop here and get something to eat. Plus, make plans on how to get there and what to expect along the way. I hate wanting to kill off those Legion bastards on an empty stomach."

"Sounds like a plan!" I said, smiling. "I wonder if they got more of those red, round food there. I would just love to bite into them and enjoy the sweet and delicious taste of it!" I felt really excited about having one of them, that I instantly began running up the hill. "Red, round food here I c-" I tripped, and fell face first on the gravel. I hoisted myself up, feeling a little sharp pain on my knee. "Ow..."

"Ma'am, are you okay!?" Some male voice from afar spoke out of nowhere. "Here, let me help you." He gently grabbed my arm and helped me get to my feet. I looked at a slender, fair toned man with a cowboy hat, sunglasses, a long sleeved shirt, tan pants and boots. He has a mustache, big and bushy over his upper lip. "Wait, it's you! That courier who helped out around the NCR back in Boulder City."

I eyed him, confused. "Uhh, yeah. That's me, I guess. How do you know it's me?"

He shrugged. "The NCR has been keeping track of you ever since you saved that new recruit. But, you've done a good turn for the NCR and now we'd like to do one for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small radio, almost resembling the one Natalie has. "Here's an NCR emergency two-way radio. You call, we come running immediately."

Natalie zipped to my side and hopped a few time. "Oh my goodness, civilian! You got an emergency radio from a ranger, like mine! That is soooooo coooool!"

I eyed Natalie, annoyed. "Well," I spoke with my gaze shifted back to the ranger in front of me. "thanks. I never expect anything like this to happen so sudden."

The ranger nodded. "Much obliged. You are not alone out here, the NCR has your back with respect. Stay safe and good hunting. Hope you will help the NCR even more in the future." He turned and walked away to the north.

I heard Craig exhaled sharply behind me. "Never expected an NCR ranger like him to give an emergency radio to a stranger...who is not even in the NCR."

Natalie, without prior warning, wrapped her arms around me tightly on my torso. "Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome! Now we can radio in whenever either one of us is in dire need! Maybe, you can probably enlist in the NCR and tackle a bunch of stuff with me as a pair and beat those Legion sc-"

I broke her hold and covered her mouth with my hand. "First of all, Natalie, no one make the decision on what I am going to do in my life. I have still yet to confront Benny and take back that stupid Platinum Chip in New Vegas, and ask questions about my past! Now, if you don't mind, I would like to get something to eat before we get there!" I released my hand off her mouth and turned to the tables, but notice someone in some awkward looking garb standing in front of me.

"Did...did you said you are going to New Vegas?" The stranger said, who is a female much to my surprise. She is wearing some raggedy clothes that practically covered her whole body instead of her fingers, face and neck. She kept on staring at me, hoping for me to answer.

I nodded slowly, still eyeing the stranger in front of me. "Uhh, yes. I did say I am going to New Vegas. That's where I need to to see the guy who tried to kill me over a stupid chip of platinum. Why did you ask, anyway?"

The female chuckled. "No offense, but you look like you've traveled a long way down some bad roads. Maybe handled a lot of trouble just to get here, even dodging away death by any means. Where did you come from?"

I blinked twice, glaring at her like she has known me before...which in fact we don't. "Well, I'm not entirely sure...hell, I have no idea where to start since I sort of have amnesia from a bullet lodged in my head."

The female's brows raised up and crossed her arms. "Can't say I'm surprised. Your scar is very recognizable from even ten meters from here, like a Deathclaw's acute sense of smell. But, yeah, guess the roads must've been long, then, even if you forgot where you started from. I'm Veronica, in case I haven't introduced myself. And I live in a hole on the ground."

"A hole?" Me and Natalie spoke simultaneously.

Veronica giggled, covering her mouth slightly with her hand. "Actually, a bunker, if you want to get technical." She eyed back at me and Natalie. "I think it sounds more interesting my way. But I'm not there much anymore. I'm usually out and about picking up food and supplies for my family. Whatever they need."

I scratched my head. "So...you just left your family in the bunker?

Veronica nodded. "Yeah, I'm not worried. They can handle themselves, but somebody has to get the groceries, know what I mean? And...actually these days, I think they'd rather gave me out here anyway. But that's a whole other story. So, listen...can I ask you something on the level? And maybe your names?"

I somehow twitched. "Oh sorry, I guess I was too busy talking to you that I haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Crimson, this is Natalie the newest NCR recruit." I pointed at Natalie, who kindly waved. "And the one behind us us Craig, a companion from Novac and a former NCR 1st Recon sniper."

"You mean the big, muscle guy near the small bar having a drink of scotch?" Veronica pointed to a different direction.

I looked at the direction where she pointed and noticed Craig sitting on a stool, drinking on a small, glass bottle with some honey color liquid. "Figures..." I mumbled, shifting my head back to Veronica. "So, what do you want to ask?"

"I had a run in with this group calling themselves the Brotherhood of Steel." Veronica spoke. "Pretty strange bunch. Do you know anything about them?" Her facial expressions shifted quickly. "Or, unless you don't know about the Brotherhood's heated feud with the NCR..."

Completely dumfounded, I just stood in place with the most confusing glare I have ever made. "Hello, Veronica. You are talking to someone who has a severe case of amnesia from a checker suited guy five nights ago! How do you expect me to know everything around this damn wastes!?"

Natalie waved her hand, grabbing my attention. "I have. My father told me stories about the Brotherhood of Steel, how they are keeping away Pre-War technology from those who wanted to obtain knowledge. He even fought a couple while traveling during his time in the NCR."

"She's right." Veronica spoke. "But that's okay. I wouldn't expect anybody to. I think they tend to keep to themselves. But, anyway, I bet going to New Vegas is going to be excited. Gonna strike it rich, huh? Get it?"

I groaned, unable to comprehend her stale joke. "Not really..."

Veronica giggled. "Hey, I'll be honest, you're the first person I've run across out here that looks like she can really handle herself, besides the unexpected heeby jeebies you've got whenever anything pops out of nowhere."

"Wait, how do you know that!?" I said, automatically catching my attention to the sudden discovery.

"Body language. I learned how to tell just by looking at them without even looking at them, if you catch what I mean." Veronica answered. "There are places I've never been to that'd be too dangerous for just me. What do you think? Maybe we can travel together, with your newbie recruit and your cold sharp shooter, and help out each other. I can pack a punch or two!" She held out her hand to me and expect a shake.

I never realized how not only one, but two people care to ask me to tag along with me. I instantly smiled and shook her hand. "Hey, the more the merrier! Welcome to the group! Well, before we head out, I think we should grab a quick bite. I am hungry for one of those red, found food that is sweet and crunchy!"

"Oh, are you referring to an apple?" Natalie said. "I'm not sure if is around here...but I am in the mood for some squirrel bits! I haven't had one of them since I started training for the NCR."

Out of nowhere, a red, round food came flying to my face. And out of instinct, I caught it with both of my hands. I turned to see Craig carrying four, individual bags of food and drinks. "They only have two, Crimson. The other apples they have are Dandy Boy Apples." He turned to Veronica and lowered his brows. "Another traveler to replace me?" He shift his gaze at me, coldly for some reason.

"No?" I said. I don't know why Craig would ask such a question like that, considering him as a solitary person with a past he rather not tell. "She asked me if she can travel along with us. Maybe help us out, getting things done quickly."

Craig turned to Veronica, exhaling in defeat. "Just make sure she doesn't go near me whenever possible. I like to keep to myself and quiet. Now, let's get going and eat while we can along the way."

"Aw, crap!" Natalie yelled, surprising all of us. "I forgot that I have to head over to Camp McCarren and report back to the general about my immediate punishment." Natalie grabbed my left arm with a begging sad face. "Please, Crimson. Can we head over there right away? It would burn a hole in my military records if I don't follow my direct orders! Not to mention tarnishing my father's name!" She held herself against my arm. "Please, please, please, please, please, pleeeeaaase!?"

I whined, wished I can get my stuff done and over with so I can proceed to normal life. But, I guess I need to help somebody out in need. "Alright...I'll take you there right now. Just show me where it is."

Natalie hopped with glee, keeping her hands on my arm. "Oh, thank you, thasnk you! It's not too far. It's just right before you head on to the Strip. I'll bring you there!" Natalie took my arm and yanked with all her might, running forward towards the direction where she is heading off to. Just hope both Craig and Vetonica can catch up.

* * *

Natalie kept her running pace the same when we turn a hard left towards a huge wall. "Hurry, we can't let them kill us!" We were all fine when the four of us are running on our easy until a few raiders begin attacking us out of nowhere. So far, we are only just a distance away from the entrance.

"I got them in my sights." Craig yelled, turning himself around with his rifle in his hands. "Eat this!" I heard him taking about three shots to the raiders. "Go on without me, I'll catch up! If not, just keep yourself sheltered there!" He continued shooting at the raiders.

I stopped and turned to see Craig still shooting at the raiders, but with very little success. I took out my shotgun and shot at the raider closest to him, killing her instantly. "I'm not letting you get killed out there, Craig, not on my watch!"

"Stop acting like you are the fucking hero, Crimson!" Craig yelled. "If I die, I die! No need for you to fucking save me! Now go to Camp McCaran and take the new recruit to the general!"

I mashed my teeth really hard as I pushed forward while tasking my hunting knife out. I ran past Craig, dodging some kind of red beams from the west of me, which I happened to see in my vision. "Okay, now to take care of th-" I was going to take my shotgun out of their holster when the red beam from the raider hit it and disintegrated into ash. "No...fuck!" I shout at the top of my lungs as I eyed the piled of ash below me. Now what am I going to do without a gun!?

"Watch out!" I heard Craig's voice in front of me...in front of me? "AURGH!" I snapped my head up to witness Craig falling down in front of me with a blackened hoke on his shirt. "Go...now!" He grunted, sheepishly.

I was going to follow his word directly, but a couple of raiders got me cornered on both sides, with their guns pointed at me. "Say your fucking prayers, bitch!" One of them said as a sound was heard from one of their guns. Before I had my life about to be taken, I saw Veronica punching the raider in front of me on the gut. "Guaohh!" The impact of the punch made blood spurt out of her mouth, releasing the familiar weapon to the ground.

With no chance to spare, I quickly grabbed the gray, rectangular weapon and twist myself to aim it at the raider behind me. I pulled the trigger back, making the same scene I had from my vision where the red beam hit the raider's head, making him glow a bright red and turned to ash. "What...!?" I stared blankly, stunned by the incredible experience...and déjà vu.

"For the Brotherhood!" Veronica yelled behind me. I turned back to notice Veronica punching the raider back and Natalie aiming her gun and killing her right then and there. "Well, that's the last of it. Good use of teamwork, newbie!" She complemented Natalie, then turned to me. "And nice use of that laser rifle."

I eyed the familiar weapon in my hands as Veronica now told me the name of it. "So, that's what it is called..." I murmured to myself, grabbing the laser rifle holster from the dead raider. I replaced the shotgun holster with the new one, putting my new weapon in it. I was about check the raiders for any loot, but noticed Craig trying to push himself up. I forgot that Craig got hit by that laser beam. "Oh no, Craig!"

"What about Craig?" Natalie asked, turning to me and Craig. The sound of Craig grunting to get up made her more alert. "Oh, no! Man down, man down!" She, worth Veronica beside her, ran to Craig just as he got tyo a sitting position. "Don't worry, 1st Recon, newest recruit Sanders has healing powder here to heal your wound!" I saw her taking out a small jar full if the powder I remember Sunny made back in Goodsprings. "Alright, just stay still and-"

Craig impatiently snatched the healing powder away from her hands. "I'll be fine...just a little burn..." He stood up, putting the jar in his pocket. "You should be meeting with the general immediately."

Natalie stared at Craig and nodded. "You're right. General Hsu must be waiting for me inside. Let's not waste time! Come one, guys!" Both Veronica and Natalie started walking away when my wrist was suddenly grabbed. I slowly turned myself to see Craig having a hold of my wrist. I think I feel another blush forming on my face.

* * *

_-Craig-_

I didn't have much choice about my burn on my back other than asking for someone to do it for me. Boots wanted to apply the healing powder on the inflicted area, but I rather not let a no nonsense new recruit do that if she doesn't know half the shit I've been through. Letting her and the new addition to the group walk away, I now turn to one person who isn't that childish, nor a complete stranger to me: Crimson. "Crimson, I need you to do me a favor, please."

I somehow noticed how Crimson's face growing a few shades of red on her cheeks. I rather just ignore it. "What about Natalie and Veronica?" She asked. "Are we going to let them walk away from u-"

"Don't worry about them and apply the healing powder on my burn!" I barked at her, making her flinch backwards an inch from me. Damn...I think I've scared her. "Just...I can't reach back there, and I don't think I can trust Boots into doing it. I might as well trust you on that." I grabbed the powder containing the contents and offered it to her.

"A-Alright..." She stuttered, nervous as she took a step before she cringed, having both of her eyes shut and hands on her head. "G-Gah!" The only other way she would be in that position is if another one of her 'mermories' show up in her amnesiac brain.

I would've just let her stand there and not believe a single thing about her seeing visions. But something about her just made me feel like I should jump in and help her. But...Idon't know what else to react besides being in shock. "Crimson!?" I went forward and grabbed her upper arms gently. "Are you okay!?"

Crimson didn't respond seconds after I spoke, her head quickly lifted up, just bunches away from mine. "I...I remember using that kind of powder. I don't know who, but the pictures are really blurry. I can only see my hand and hear my voice. But..." Her voice trailed off once she grabbed the jar and walked to my back. "Your back is a bit burned, but it is not too bad." She said. I was hoping for a stinging reaction once her hand touches my spine, but instead...

_It...didn't hurt? _I thought to myself. The feeling on my back seemed different from when the other 1st Recon tried to heal me back on duty. I dont understand why it's just her and no one else, and how come I am feeling so different when its just me and her!? I can't take it! "That's enough!" I jerked my body around and faced her, glaring at her bemused expression.

"Did..." She spoke. "did I hurt you, or did something wrong?" I can tell she hasn't figured out how I am actally feeling. Fuck, I don't know if her amnesia is a blessing or a curse...

I wish I can tell her, but that would make me feel more vulnerable. I shift my head to face the east. "Nothing...we better catch up to Boots and the other person." I couldn't tell her, I just can't. Maybe because all my mind is think about killing the Legion _and _Carla? I eyed Crimson, my face loosened up, but I hid it by turning towards Camp McCaran.

"Craig," Crimson is right behind me, no doubt. I didn't have to turn around to know that she is right behind me, which is questioning. "I don't know if I should say thank you for saving from those raiders. It's...it's just that I can't let anyone get killed out there, even you..."

So she's thanking me for protecting her from those chem addicts!? But, I'll have to admit, she did butt iin to help kill them off even though I rather have my life handed to them by myself. I clenched my hands into fists, decided to just say it. "I should be thanking you for protecting me..." I don't know if I should be saying that to her since we've only known each other for a few days, but I think this time it is different.

"That's what friends are for, Craig. We do what we can to protect each other!" Crimson appeared to my left, glaring at me with a soft smile, her blue eyes shimmering from the setting sun in front of us. Her expression somehow made me soften up...a lot. Great, I think I feel torn...


	21. Chapter 20 - Batallion's Punishment

_**-Silus Treatment-**_

I don't know what worried me more: eyeing the burn mark while the burning smell wafting through the burn edges on the back of Craig's shirt, or the fact that Craig somehow shift moods from the serene person seconds ago to being his bitter self after apply the soft, sandy feeling of the healing powder onto his burn spot. Little pings of pain throbbed in my head for a few seconds shortly after short clip of what appears to be a memory of mine occurred before using the light yellow substance. My eyes were directly on Craig's broad back as he press onward away from me. "Something doesn't feel right..." My voice was down to a soft murmur, almost close to a whisper.

"Crimson!" The loud echo of Natalie from yards away to my position snapped me out of my bluesy trance. "Camp McCarran's entrance is this direction! We need to hurry or my punishment will increase dramatically!" Natalie jogged her way past Craig towards me, grabbing wrist quickly and jerked me forward, not even a single word of warning to her forceful tugging of my arm. Seriously, her doing that made my shoulder pop and almost cause it to detach from my socket. The distance was short when we reached to the big gate with the words 'McCarran Field' in big letters above it.

Craig and the new companion from the Brotherhood, Veronica, walked to me and Natalie, shifting their gaze to the red, huge letters above us. "Never been in this camp in years." Craig spoke, his tone calm but somewhat uninterested. "We should knock on the metal gate to let one of troops raise it up for us to go in." He walked forward with his left hand buried in his pants pocket, and the other tapping three times on the gate.

"State you business here. Or be shot on sight." It sounded like a soldier on the other side of the metal gate speaking. The words 'shot on sight' made me flinched a bit.

Natalie, clearing her throat, walked forward towards the metal gate in front of us. "NCR new recruit Natalie Arlene Sanders here with a Brotherhood Veronica, former 1st Recon Craig Boone, and courier Crimson. The three civilians have escorted me from Boulder City by orders of Lieutenant Monroe to meet with Colonel Hsu for my immediate punishment. We wish to proceed inside and speak with him immediately." Natalie sounded different when directly talking to someone of the NCR, maybe they're like that in the military.

"Courier?" The voice rose a little higher. Before we knew it, the metal gate began rising very slowly, revealing a vast space with two roads leading in different directions. The four of us walked in the camp while the gate is halfway up, showing more of the surrounding area. "So, you are the courier the lieutenant radio in the general just ten minutes ago. I'm surprised you have a little squadron with you to make things quick and easy for you. Colonel Hsu is waiting for you insider the terminal building to the east." He lowered the metal gate back to close, then walked off back to get post.

"And I'm surprised you've made a name for yourself!" Veronica spoke. "It's like me with the Brotherhood...except the feelings are not quite mutual here and there. So, I guess I am walking with a traveling celebrity!"

I made a disgruntled groan out loud. "I am not here to show my face to every NCR soldier here in the camp. All we are here is walking with Natalie over here so we can drop her off to the colonel and make our way to New Vegas, even I don't understand why I am that popular."

"Not even that surprising..." Craig grumbled, his body shifted to a more nonchalant kind of manner. "1st Recon snipers are revered, praised with honor and high respect in the NCR, everywhere. Respect..." He spit that word out like it was a bad thing. "But that's not what we are here for."

I bobbed my head, agreeing to Craig's statement. "Exactly my point. Let's drop Natalie to this Colenel Hsu and be on our way to New Vegas before the sun sets..." My mood changed to a more neutral but attentive expression due to the main objective at hand. I made a step towards the right, having my eyes fixate at Natalie standing with a dissatisfied form on her face. I huffed, feeling somewhat bad to leave Natalie behind. But, I have to break it to her that her business and my business are two different things and shouldn't be entwined. "Natalie, I know you want us to stay, but we care only here to drop you off and head on ti New Vegas "

Natalie sniffed loudly, shrugging one shoulder up to her face and wiped a tear falling out of the corner of her eye. "I understand. I shouldn't have you come over here and be part of the punishment. It was my fault that I brought you and 1st Recon to NCR business in Boulder City. We did settle things out, but as an NCR soldier, I should take the blame."

"Take the blame on what?" Our sudden attention went directly to two NCR soldiers walking over to the four of us. "Ah, new recruit Sanders. Lieutenant has told me you'd be arriving here to discuss punishment in bringing civilians to NCR matters." What the male with black hair told Natalie made her lower her head in defeat. "I was also mentioned that a certain courier and 1st Recon is on their way here to bring you here, and you've brought another traveler."

Natalie immediately stood at attention to the two soldiers in front of her. "Y-Yes, Colonel Hsu! But, unfortunately they will be leaving to New Vegas now that they have brought me here."

The one called Hsu shook his head. "I'm afraid that's a negative, Sanders." We all twitch in confusion. "Chapter seven, section C, paragraph nine states that if one soldier of the group commits a misdemeanor or disobeys an order, the whole battalion, whether they commit it too or not, are entitled to receive the same punishment as the one who did. I'm sorry, but they will have to stay here and endure the same punishment you'll receive, Sanders."

"What!?" I yelled, displeased with the sudden rule. "How in the fuck are we going to receive the same punishment as Natalie!? Me and Veronica are not in the NCR, Craig use to be but not any more! All we are doing is dropping her here and be on o-"

"You haven't understand the reason to the rule, courier." Hsu turned his direction towards me, both of his arms behind his back. "Yes, Sanders brought you to NCR matters, which is against regulations to let any civilian such as yourself to attend to such matters. Though I am pleased you've handled it with no bloodshed against the Great Khans, but getting into NCR business without permission will not let you go freely. As of now until Natalie's punishment is settled, you, 1st Recon and your new traveler will have to stay here and endure it too. Follow me and Boyd inside, we have some assignments for all four of you go do as part of it." Hsu, with the female soldier he called Boyd turned to the huge building and proceed towards it.

Natalie turned to the three of us with an apologetic look in her brown eyes. "Sorry I dragged you into this. I forgot about that rule when I was in training with a few other new recruits while in a battalion. I guess you guys are stuck here until I am off the hook."

"Hmm," Veronica leaned slightly to the left with one of her hands in her hip. "I don't understand why I am involved in this. I've only been with you guys for about 11.5 minutes. But, I'm not complaining, count me in!" Veronica sounded excited for what will be in store for all of us.

I turned my head slightly and noticed Craig scratching the back of his head, below his beret. "As they always say in the military, if one goes down the whole group falls along. I hope this doesn't mean more exercises at five o'clock in the morning..."

Everyone in the group all eyed the last person to have their opinion shared out loud: me. I felt a small bead of sweat fall down my left temple and gulped up a huge lump in my throat. I moaned in an unpleasant manner, slumping myself forward in defeat. "Might as well..." A direct answer from me made all four of us jog our way to Hsu and Boyd, who are now opening one of the doors to the huge building past a few rows of several tents out in the middle of the camp.

We reached inside before the door swung slowly closed, taking a look at a huge, terminal with several rows of what it looked like slot machines. One NCR soldier is standing behind a blockade of sandbags in front of the middle set of doors with two sets of lights shining on it. _Astounding! _I thought in awe, looking up at a couple of soldiers walking across the floor at the top floor. We all stopped in front of Hsu and Boyd, standing side by side. Veronica, Craig, Natalie and myself, in the order of a straight, horizontal line, waited for further instructions by the two high ranking soldiers.

Hsu eyed all of us carefully, ones of his brows raised as a sign of a perplexing matter. "Hmm, seems like neither the courier or the Brotherhood traveler know how to cook by any chance...Farber's doing his best at that. But it really is hard to manage an army with half the staff in line for the latrine." By that little comment, I could've sworn I heard Veronica snicker a little. "Honestly, we're fighting a lot of fires right now. The Fiends keep pressing their position from Vault 3."

"We got the Legion breathing down our necks across the Colorado River." Boyd added in, her arms crossed against her sturdy uniform. "We actually took an officer alive last week, but so far he hasn't spoken a word. Even I couldn't get him to so at out anything. And on top of that, Hsu can't send a patrol in the bathroom in chances if being ambushed by someone who heard them coming."

"In other words," Natalie spoke. "word is getting out for some weird reason?"

"But you seem so calm right now," Veronica added. "given that everything around here are as bad as they are. Sound like me...in a way."

Hsu nodded at Veronica. "Calm is what you have to be when people look to you." He folded his arms over his torso, still maintaining his mellow demeanor. "And it's all you can be when things are out if hand. So, in the matter of punishment, I need you four to help out Lieutenant Boyd with the captured Legion captain on telling us some information on what we need to know. And I want you to search for a leaker, and capture him or her as soon as possible for further instructions. Lastly, to find the missing NCR soldier in Vault 3, where it us being sheltered by the Fiends. And on top of that, look around the camp to see if any of the officers has any tasks for you four to do. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir!" The four of us barked simultaneously, as if we are in the military.

Boyd was the first one to nod at our reply. "Good, follow me." With Hsu heading west, the four of us followed Boyd up the closest escalator, which we have to walk, to the second floor. We kept walking onward until Boyd used as key to unlock the second metal door to the left. She, along with us four, went inside, revealing a large hole covered in glass that showed a male with swept back black hair and pale skin tone with some weird armor sitting on a small chair. "This is an honest-to-God centurion of Caesar's Legion."

Even with the breath escaping my lungs, Craig, Veronica, and Natalie gasped with me. We all got on the offensive until Boyd held up both of her arms to stop us. "Guys, don't worry. He won't attack neither one of you. Stand down!" When she said that, all of us released the unwanted tension from under our skins. "Alright, now that little charade is done, I must tell you this. This centurion is named Silus, a few soldier tracked him and his men down just when they were leaving a raiding camp. You see, people of Caesar's Legion from their leader on down would kill themselves before they can be captured. They're so twitchy they'd probably do it if you reach out to hug them." She, along with all of us except Craig, giggled at the little joke.

"You filthy worms think you are funny after as small, pathetic joke like that?" We stopped, seeing the centurion eyeing us with his arms crossed against the metal plate on his chest, glaring at us with a cold stare.

Boyd sighed, turning back to the subject. "Anyways, here's this guy who's an elite commander in their army and he just gives himself up, even as his men are slitting their throats around him." Just what Boyd described made me feel queasy inside. "Well, I don't know about you three women, but to me that's the sound of someone who's willing to cooperate...except he hasn't."

"Typical Legion scum..." Craig growled to my left. "All they do is insult and bitch with no action. I rather have put a bullet in their heads and be done with them."

"That's not what we are here for, 1st Recon." Boyd interject. "Sanders, you and me will switch sides and try to talk sense into him. Courier, you will go along side with the recruit in case if he decided to jump. And don't try to kill him. It is under NCR jurisdiction that we can't kill any hostages even if we got Intel out of him." Boyd went to the door when it opened once she's near it and closed after she got in. "Hello, Silus."

The one named Silus turned his head, his hard expression remains in his eyes. "Lieutenant. I was just thinking about a second ago." His voice was loud enough for all of us to hear through the glass. "I was thinking and admiring that pretty little neck of yours, imagining how it would look with a Legion slaver collar on it." A wicked chuckle escaped out of his nose, his shoulders bounce because of that. "And how I love the way it tightly fits."

I heard Natalie whimper behind me, her own self pushed against my left side. "That guy looks eerie...just him talking like that gives me the creeps!" She said softly. "I never knew this is part of my punishment: gaining Intel from a high rank Legion member with a glare that would downright intimidated you."

I see Boyd placing a cigarette in between her lips, using a match to light the other end of it. The end the stick glow a little orange red as she puckered her lips, then used her fore and middle right fingers to clamp the filter and released the cigarette away from her lips. "Really?" Boyd blew out the smoke to the side. "I'll pass. If you really love them so much, why don't you try one on your own neck. Or better yet, save that collar or two for a couple of new friends of mine."

Silus leaned forward, his bushy, black brows lowered to an apprehensive glare. "You mean that weakling, degenerate pup behind that crimson head inferior female?" He asked, referring to me and Natalie. "Now, answer me: why insist in letting an inhumane excuse of a gender to force Intel out of the strongest of the two sexes? Tell me why, lieutenant."

Boyd shrugged her shoulders. "Actually, why don't you have a talk with them and see why. I'll go get them." She walked through the door that automatically opened for her and shut it closed upon exiting. "Alright, courier and Sanders." She turned directly to us, puffing another cloud of smoke through her glossy lips. "Go ahead and try to push him to the edge and make him spill out any Intel. Oh, and I am going to have to ask you into surrendering your weapons to the locker. They shall remain there until we are done. Am I clear?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am..." Natalie whimpered. I just bobbed my head slightly, relinquishing both my hunting knife and my new weapon, the laser rifle, to the locker near us. Natalie placed her shotgun and a small knife beside my weapons. "Alright..." Natalie breathed hesitantly. "Let's do this..." Natalie first entered through the automatic door with me inches behind her into the small, empty room.

Silus eyed us, moving his eyes slowly down, then back up at our faces in disgust. "Well, what a couple of ugly worms you both are." He hissed, only to make Natalie flinched. "What pile of excrement did the lieutenant pluck you two from now, worms?"

The large gulp heard from Natalie was audible for me to hear, a sign of her being easily intimidated by the centurion. "W-Well..." She stuttered a little. "you are about to tell us everything you know, person of the Legion!"

Silus's fixed gaze didn't seemed to change on bit. "Of course, of course." He spatted. "All you had to do is ask. I'll tell you everything, pup. Let's see, I know the both of you are a couple of brainless cretins. I know that you're just wasting my time, and I know the lieutenant is going to be disappointed in you two. And I know by this time next month the streets of New Vegas will be decorated with the decaying heads of the NCR soldiers. Was there anything _else _you want know!?"

An unpleasant sigh escaped my lungs as I lift my arms and folded them across my torso. "Yeah, I like to _know _how a big shot and big talker like you got caught so easily..." It almost felt like a mumble, but the centurion shift his gaze at me.

He shifted himself back against the chair. "You must have some reason to be in your line of work. Tell me, what did the Legion ever do to you? Did we enslave your children? Slaughter your family before your eyes to teach you a lesson?" The left side of his lips curled to a heartless grin. "Whatever it is, I hope I was there to give the order."

"I barely know anything about my past, Silus." I replied. "That's why I'm traveling through the wastes in search for answers. But," I took one step forward, leaning in just a foot from his face. "it seems like you miss giving direct orders to your men, now that they are all dead and their corpse burning in the blistering sun."

Silus is still unmoved, even my intimidating posture proved to be useless. "That won't work on me, worm. Foot soldiers of the Legion are trained not to have to think for thermselves- to have conflict removed from their minds. They kill themselves to evade capture because they are not trusted to make such a decision rationally in the heat of the battle. But I'm no foot soldier." He crossed his arms. "I knew I could escaped captivity on my own, without revealing the tiniest iota of information to my captors."

"Sounds like you are too gutless to follow your leader's orders." Natalie spoke. "Probably you are a coward yourself, even a tiniest hint of the though of the death made you cringe." She giggled.

Silus growled, and snarled angrily. "I'll show you gutless, you sniveling bastards. You think I could get where I was in the Legion army if I feared death!? I'll spill your guts all over this room, if I wanted to!" He was about to lift himself out of the seat until the door opened, letting Boyd in and stood feet in front of Silus. "Your poor excuse of friends are miserable, fucking degenerates! If we were on the other side of the river, I would have those two be torn apart by dogs!"

Boyd took another puff of smoke from her cigarette. "That sure is a long walk from here, I'm afraid. I don't think that is going to happen. Besides," she twist her head to me, then Natalie, and back at Silus. "I think they are a nice little bunch. But enough nonsense," she crossed her arms, having the lit cigarette sticking out. "you'd better start talking..."

"Your tactics are a fucking joke." Silus growled through his clamped teeth. "We don't have anything to discuss here, worms."

My lips curled up to a wicked grin. "But I wanted to know why someone of the centurion rank could be obtained by such a coward like you? Did your leader himself made you beg to get on your knees like a dog and tell him what a bitch you are to him?" Just at that moment, the centurion had enough of our jokes as he lunged forward and pinned me down, with both of his broad hands grasping my neck. I can feel my abdominal area tensing up, my neck closed by the grip of Silus's hand as I tried gasping for air.


	22. Chapter 21 - Black Widow

_**-I Put a Spell on You-**_

The lack of oxygen I am feeling within my lungs from the captive centurion, Silus, is just mere moments away from my end. I kicked and flailed my legs, trying to kick the enraged Legion captain off, but his weight while wearing that suit of armor proved to be useless. The images begin to fade, my eyes squint at the face of the enemy as he slowly squeezed my neck even harder. _Guess this is it, _I thought in my nearly brain dead mind. _I guess my time has come to an end?_

The doors to my left opened quick with the sound of footsteps going to me, somehow made Silus release his grip away from my neck. I gasped a huge huff of air, followed by a never ending session of coughing as I rolled to my side. I propped up a bit my right arm while clutching my neck with their other. "Are you that fucking crazy, Boots!? Can't you see she was dying!"

_Craig!? _I thought, turning to see the enraged Craig having his broad, left arm against Silus's neck while being pinned against the wall. "Crai-" my voice is too hoarse, and in so much pain from the strangling that I stopped to cough several times. I don't think I will be able to talk for a while.

Natalie's voice squeaked, almost a sound of her whimpering to a small sob. "I-I-I'm so sorry!" She wailed. "I was just in shock when he did that! I'm afraid he will do that to me too! Oh, I'm so sorry, everyone!" I can hear her cries as loud as a bell, even through my near inaudible hearing."

"Letting a fucking cowardly Legion scum take control of your mind!?" Craig growled. "What good of a new recruit are you if you don't have a set of fucking balls to stand up against the enemy!"

"Coward!?" Silus spat. I manage to obtain enough strength to pull myself to a sitting position. While holding my sore neck, gaze upon Silus glaring st Craig. "Listen here, NCR scum! I've faced odds that would make your NCR brethren soldiers wet themselves. I've led charges against men with guns carrying only my knife, and I can tell you, it was they who feared me! But suicide is a weak death in a battlefield. It says to your enemy that you fear capture, and if you're caught you can be broken."

Craig released his hold against Silus, backing up to my side. "But do you honestly think you could escaped death? The sheer, psychological images of war and the defenseless being tortured or killed rotting your brain almost to the point when you feel like life isn't that important to you!?"

Silus remained unmoved. "If I had killed myself, I'd be murdering one of Caesar's greatest soldiers. Either choice is a betrayal of the Legion, as I see it." A second after he spoke, he began to chuckle. A chuckle so malevolent that it created an ominous chill in my spine. "But, I have to say. That was a well thought out tactic to have my grip released from that red head's neck. I was actually getting aroused just by the sight of her struggle, and the sound of it, too!"

"I'll show you a fucking struggle!" Craig yelled, taking one step forward at Silus. But just stopped after that, only to turn to see Boyd grabbing the collar of Craig's shirt.

"That's enough, 1st Recon!" Boyd ordered. "Obviously we can't get a single word out of him. We shall try again tomorrow at 0800 hours. You guys have fifteen minutes to prepare yourself for the beds. A little room just out this room and across the hallway is the guests room with six bunk beds. And I rather not let any one of you waking up in the middle of the night to get a midnight snack. 1st Recon knows NCR won't take lightly in anybody stealing food or beverages. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." All, except me, say simultaneously.

Boyd smiled and nodded. "Good. Sanders, I need you to help courier up and make sure she is lying down on a bed. And give her any purified water. Since her throat might be a little sore, it would be wise to give her that. Let's move out."

I coughed a little, just flinched from what it seemed to be Natalie's cold hands reaching under my forearms. "Hold on, Crimson. I'll get you up." She grunted, pulling my right arm up to get me on my feet. "Boy, you are heavy!"

"Well, I'm fucking so-" I tried to talk to her, but the pain in my throat made me instantly cough up a storm. _Great, I can't say any more than five words because of my neck Silus clenched! _I thought, planting my feet on the floor to push myself up, with a help from Natalie.

Silus chuckled just as soon as he got back on the chair. "Hopefully next time, I'll have a little bit more fun with you, red head. And maybe I can grab your neck even tighter than that!"

Craig let out an unpleasant sigh. "We better leave this room. The stench of Legion scum is about to make me hurl!" He glared directly at Silus, the bitterness in his green eyes through the side of his sunglasses is obviously recognizable. With a short growl as a warning to his enemy, he turned around and head out of the door that is being held by Boyd.

Natalie, still having her hand on my arm, tugged a little. "We better get ready, Crimson. You need some rest before tomorrow."

I wish I can speak, but that would only made me cough some more. So, I just signify her with a little nod before walking out of the interrogation room. Boyd followed us out as the door closed, and locked it with a special key. I noticed Veronica appearing at my side, having a hold of my and Natalie's weapons. I gave her the "Why weren't you helping!?" kind of glare.

Veronica scratched her cheek with her left index. "Sorry, Crimson. I wanted to help, but it seemed like big, cold, and quick," referring to Craig, which the name made me tick. "somehow beat me to it. I never would've expected somebody like him to jump in and pushed him away with you with just a forearm." She formed a little smile as she gave us our weapons. "Boy, if only I had someone who can protect me! Oh, and the hulk took your big knife, Crimson."

My eyes widen. All I have with me is my laser rifle in its holster, but an empty sheath where my hunting knife is suppose to go. I quickly clipped the holder on me before sprinting my way out of the room. _Why in the hell are you walking away with my knife, Craig!? _I turned my head to the left, noticing Craig's shoulder disappearing through some room up ahead, with a sound of the door closing. "You guys..." I wheezed to Veronica and Natalie, followed by a short cough. "go on ahead to the room. I'll go check on Craig." I didn't have to hear their answer, because I am already on the move to the same direction Craig went.

"Slow down, courier!" An NCR soldier, with the name 'Curtis' on his left chest plate, walked past me as I was running.

I didn't heed to his warning. All my mind was on Craig and my knife, and reason wehy he took it. I got to the closed, metal door and pressed my left ear against it. _It's quiet... _I thought to myself, carefully pushing the door slightly to get a little view of what's inside. I see Craig standing against some sink with a nearly broken mirror in front of him. He held my knife up against his face, but stopped with the reflection of my knife towards me.

"If you got something to say to me, Crimson," Craig spoke. "you better have a good reason why you're following me. And close the door once you come in." He rest my knife on the sink and turned to the door, which in fact he is looking at me. I noticed Craig's shirt limping over the side of the sink to his right.

"Guess my cover is blown, huh?" I said after I opened the door to let myself in, entering to a small restroom. Shutting the door closed behind me, I walked to the wall to my right and leaned up against here. "So, why did you decide to take my knife and come over here?"

Craig looked at me through the mirror before taking both of his sunglasses and his beret off. "Something I use to do...just that I rather be alone when I'm doing this. But..." He stopped talking and took my knife, while applying some kind of white cream on his head, and used the edge of my knife to scrape a small section of it. I didn't see one little cut or any skin peeling after he did that. "You don't seem a bit bothered by my exposed, upper body." He said, scraping the next section on his head.

I lowered my brows, eyeing at him making a clean scrape on his scalp. "Bothered!? Why in the hell would I be bothered by you being half naked!? So fucking what..." I wheezed, a cough escaped out of my breath. Somehow, a little blush crept out of my cheeks. I turned my head forward to try and hide it.

Craig finished last of the substance on his head before cleaning the remnants off with a small cloth. I can feel his cold eyes on me in the corner of my eye, placing his signature headwear on his head firmly. "I don't understand how it is just the both of us that landed in the most awkward situations. And why is it always you that ended up near me." He clarified, taking his shirt off of the other sink before walking to me.

I groaned in protest, folding my arms against my torso. "How should I know? I even have that same question engraved in my mind. I should be keeping my distance from you, otherwise people will suspect that we are something different than just companions." I can feel my heart pounding a little against my chest, clenching my left hand into a fist.

"Here," I looked at Craig, holding a small water bottle near me. "The lieutenant requested that you needed water to help your throat. I think you need this more than I do." He reached his arm further out to have the bottle inches from me.

Just what Craig said reminded me back at Novac when he was offering me his caps after I found out who sold his wife to the Legion. Though, only to decline his offer just because I feel bad for him. But...what if he has the same feeling right now as I have back then? "Thanks..." I grabbed the plastic bottle away from his hand and opened it to take several gulps. I lifted my arm up along with my head to get the last drop of the water when I felt something touched my neck. I stopped mid gulp and unexpectedly spew the water onto Craig's face. My face burned up from embarrassment.

Craig's green eyes glared at me, but his mood didn't changed. He quickly wiped the water off his face with the cloth he's still holding. "Never expected to get a cold spray from you when I can at least have a shower myself." He sighed softly, putting his tan shirt on him. "Other than that, I was checking on your neck and noticed four bruise spots on each side. I guess that damn Legion bastard dug his fingers there pretty hard. If I hadn't shoved him away or if he hadn't released his grip on time, you'd be dead by now..." His eyes moved away from me, his expression turned into something unknown to me.

"Well..." I spoke, crunching the empty plastic bottle before tossing it in the trash to my left. "I guess I should thank you for that. But, we should hit to bed if we are ever going to get anything out of that fucking Legion ingrate! Maybe punching him senseless should get him to talk."

For the first time, I see Craig smile and chuckled at my suggestion. He placed his hand on the door handle and eyed me, still smiling. "Now that's a plan I rather do!"" He opened it inwards and exited out before shutting it behind him.

"Well, look at this!" We looked to see the soldier named Cutis standing with his arms behind his back. His eyes directly at us signaling apprehension. "An honorable former 1st Recon with a lowly courier alone in a public restroom. Do you know it is under NCR jurisdiction that you shouldn't fraternize in a public area alone while under the NCR roof? If both of you are just civilians, I'd have you both arrested. Now head back to where you assigned to or I'll report this to Colonel Hsu."

Just something about this Curtis person doesn't feel...right. "We were just on our way, sir..." I said, walking around him through the hallway with Craig beside me. Craig handed me my hunting knife, where I sheathed it back into its pouch before going through the door where Natalie and Veronica are staying in. Natalie is eating some food while Veronica has a bottle while listening to the radio.

_"I was always a fool...for my Johnny!" _It was a woman's voice singing through the speaker of the radio. I noticed Craig walking briskly and turning the radio off, making Veronica whine.

"Hey!" Veronica yelled. "I was listening to that! That was a great song!"

Craig took a little bottle of the scotch liquid from his pocket and drink several gulps of it. He shook his head a bit before sitting on a bed, eyeing Veronica. "I swear if I ever hear that damn 'Johnny Guitar' bullshit song again, I would use my rifle and destroy every radio in this damn wasteland!"

Natalie, after putting her shotgun against the wall to her left, eyed Craig as she untie the laces of her combat boots. "Why are you always bitter and mean!? And you know you can't drink any liquor when you know we have to try to get Intel from Silus."

Craig chugged the last bit of their liquid and glared at Natalie. "I drink to forget about something. And it is none of your business to know what. Good night." He hiked his feet up onto the bed and lay himself down with his back towards us.

Veronica stretched her arms up. "Oh well. Guess no music for the of the night. Can't wait for more tomorrow. Nighty night!" She flopped herself on the bed facing up to the rails of the second bed and fell asleep.

I took myself to a bed farthest away from everyone else, and seeing Natalie being the next person to lie on the bed, I took my coat off and placed it on the top bed. I sat on the edge of the bottom mattress, untying my boot laces and kicking them off. As I slowly lie flat on the bed, I placed my hand on my neck where Silus tried to block there air from going out or in my lungs. I'm afraid to say, I am happy Craig saved me when no one else did. "Why him...?" I murmured to myself, letting the drowsiness succumbed me to sleep.

* * *

_"You think you deserver to go free when you know the Legion is on your tail?" _A voice of Silus echoed in an isolated area in the little room. I looked around in their area, it was barely lit and there is no one but me is in it. From the shadows, a devious Silus with his devilish sneer walked over to me and grasped my neck and slammed me down.

I began to struggle, breathing heavily. _"Stop, don't do this!" _I yelled, horror overcomes as I felt him getting on me. _"Craig, help! Veronica, Natalie, somebody!" _I kept yelling, but there is no one to rescue me. I eyed Silus, whose chuckle is as dark as the room.

He lowered his head, something touched my neck that send a sensation through that and my spine. And it was not a good one. _"I'll show how the dominant of the two genders are, by having a little 'fun'!" _Silus whispered in my ear.

Just when he was going to finish me off, I head a loud bang sound from a distance. I opened my eyes and got into a sitting position in a flash. My breathing are at a fast tempo, realize I am still in the same room with the other three of my companions in Camp McCarran. "It...it was a dream..." I said, relieving myself. I twist myself to let my feet touch the floor and eyed my Pip Boy, reading 2:07 am. "Fuck..." I moaned, rubbing my eyes.

"Had a bad dream?" I jumped, hearing Craig's voice across from me. I see him sitting up, twisting his body and faced me. He isn't wearing his sunglasses, I can tell know that he is a bit concerned.

I looked down on the floor and nodded. "A dream about Silus trying to do something to me. His eyes glaring at me, and his smile so benevolent..." I trailed off after that, but apparently something caught my attention. "Wait, how come you are up?"

Craig sighed, standing up and walked over to my bed and sat next to me. "Insomnia. I can't seem to stay asleep past three hours, knowing what would come up and slit our throats while we sleep. Believe me, if you have been in the military for as long as I have, you'll know about it. Even if that Legion bastard to break in and rape you in your sleep, I'll do what I can to make sure he will never lay a finger print on you."

I couldn't help but smile at him for protecting me, but at the same time I shouldn't get too comfortable to him because of his personal problems. I went to open my mouth to say something, until I heard a door opening and closing quickly, almost like the door that leads in the interrogation room. "What the!?" I got up quickly and silently crept past both Natalie and Veronica to the door. I opened to door slightly, just enough for me to see. I noticed an NCR soldier leaving out of the room where the interrogation room is in and went right.

"What is it, Crimson?" Craig whispered near my right ear.

"I noticed an NCR soldier leaving the interrogation room." I replied, whispering back to him. "But whoever that person is, I bet Silus knows." I turned to Craig. "I need you to get my hunting knife, I don't want too much attention to any of the sleeping NCR soldiers. I have an idea about this."

I heard Craig growled beside me. "You fucking crazy!? Are you walking towards your early death!?"

"As I said I have an idea." I whispered, placing the sheathed knife on my back and covered with my white shirt. I opened the door, scanning the area for any other soldier walking around before sneaking quickly towards the door across the hall. Me and Craig hurried inside, closing the door quickly behind me. "Hope this plan works." I said, taking a deep breath before going to the door.

* * *

_-Craig-_

I have no fucking idea why Crimson would decide to go all her way to that damn Legion bastard after she almost died from suffocation. I see Crimson going through the door, which was suppose to be locked at all times, while I stood near the lockers to get a clear vision of her. The centurion didn't know I came in, he only saw Crimson. "Who's your friend, Silus? Or was that Boyd coming over here to check up on you?"

The centurion eyed her as he pushed himself off of the chair and stood up. "It looks like you couldn't get enough of me, worm." I notice his lips curled up into a sinister smile, just the sight of it is too familiar for me to know what it means. He walked up to her, grabbing her neck with her head up. "Maybe I can tell you before you die. That person is not the lieutenant, but an officer who comes here to ask about any information during my days here. And every night, while everyone is asleep or busy on patrol, he goes to the control tower and tells the frumentari back at the camp, even tells them high-level NCR intelligence. Why does this involve you?" His voice is calm, but threatening, making me pissed off now he has Crimson in his grip.

But Crimson remained unmoved and stared directly at me. "I don't know, maybe it's the fact that maybe you haven't suffocate me hard enough to make me lose my breath. Seems like you love to handle your slaves with a bit of roughness on the side." A smile curled up on the corner of her lips. "I'd like you to demonstrate that."

_What! _I thought, really surprised and pissed at the same time at her grace decision. "No..." I said, huffing uncontrollably. The centurion clenched on her neck even harder, noticing her face turning blue. Now that draws the line. "NO!" I yelled, slamming my arms onto the glass in front of me. The centurion swiftly gaze at me for a short second, until Crimson moved back and struck him in the abdomen with her hunting knife. "What!?" I gasped, witnessing the dramatic change in the room.

"Thanks for the Intel, Silus!" Crimson growled, her expression now dark and mysterious. She pushed the centurion hard towards the wall, unsheathing the knife off of him. "Enjoy your trip to hell."

"You..." The centurion growled, slowly dragged his back down with his hand over his wound, seeing blood dripping down his mouth. "You...black widow...bitch!" Those were the last words he said before his body became lifeless against the wall.

I moved my eyes at Crimson, her cold gaze staring directly at the dead centurion with her knife at hand the blood dripped down from the tip. "Cr...Crimson..." I whispered, still in shock. Her eyes gaze at mine, still maintaining the same cold glare that is too familiar to me. They are exactly like mine.


	23. Chapter 22 - Stealth in Numbers

_**-I Put a Spell on You Pt.2-**_

Blood poured and seeped through the Legion centurion's, Silus, armor from the stab wound I severely inflicted with my hunting knife. "You...black widow...bitch!" were the last words Silus called me before his body slumped to one side, ending his life then and there. My cold, empty eyes stared at his now lifeless body know he is going to hell. Blood poured out of his mouth and a puddle of his blood from the wound grew under him.

"Cr...Crimson..." I heard Craig saying my name through the thick glass to my left. I glared at him with my cold facade, seeing his eye widen with shock. I forgotten that Craig was there watching me almost being choaked out by Silus after I shrouded my actual intent of getting information on who this 'leaker' is. Guess there is no time to waste. I walked away from the dead centurion and through their automatic door.

I lift my hand up with the knife covered in blood halfway, making the red substance drip down the opposite direction. I knew if someone were to find his killer, the NCR soldiers would suspect is me. "Craig, give me your cloth so I can wipe this blood off of my knife. We need to follow that leaker over to the tower before that NCR soldier gives out more information to the Legion."

Craig reached into his pocket to grab the same cloth he used to shave his head hours ago. "I'm surprised you used deception to get him to talk, even pulling off a facade to throw him off. But that's still fucked up on risking yourself in there when you know you could've gotten yourself killed!" He barked. I can tell he is not satisfied about my handy work.

"You killed Silus!?" Craig and I twitched, noticing both Natalie and Veronica walking towards us. Her head faced the direction where the lifeless Silus is slumped agasinst the wall. "Great, now how are we going to get any Intel from him now that he is dead!? Can't you at least wait until then!?"

I eyed Natalie, wiping the blood clean off of my hunting knife before placing it in its sheath on my back. "Silus said that he talked to an NCR officer just minutes ago for any information about him. Not only that, he told that the same officer has been giving out high-ranked NCR intelligence back to a camp lead by the Legion. Me and Craig are going to stealthily go to the control tower and intercept that leaker."

"Nu-huh! Noooo way, Crimson!" Natalie shook her head out of protest. "Since the leaker thing is part of _our _punishment, it'll take the four of us to intercept that officer as a battalion. Remember, we are all on this together, right Brotherhood?" Natalie turned to Veronica.

Veronica nodded. "Veronica, Natalie. And yes, she is right. Even though I have been with the three of you for less than a day, but the General said that this is a group punishment. If one falls, the rest fall with him or her." She slammed her right fist against her left palm, popping her knuckles. "I hope I can get to punch that leaker's gut!"

"Colonel Hsu instructed us to capture the leaker and bring it to him." Craig pointed out. "Since I have been through this camp numerous times, inside and out, I definitely know where the control tower is. We past by it without even noticing it while we were trying to run from those Fiends." He eyed me. "Crimson, I'll go get my and Boot's weapon. Stay here and I'll give all of you a whistle when everything is clear to go."

I reply with a nod. "Better make it quick. Any moment now, that leaker will spill out more information to the Legion."

"Quick is my specialty! As in a quick and easy kill." Craig, with a little smirk, walked past me and through the door, leaving it halfway open, as his footsteps trailed off across the hall to the room. We paused for a while in the dead silent room, just for about a minute, until a small chirp was heard.

I twisted towards the door. "That's our signal!" I walked to the half opened door and peeked through, seeing Craig waving at me with two weapons. "Come on!" I said to Natalie and Veronica behind me, leading them out of the room to Craig at the other side of the hall. "Alright, lead us to the control tower."

Craig put his machete on his left hip and gave Natalie her small knife. "We have to keep quiet if we are going to go there. This requires stealth if we have to make a jump on the leaker. Keep close to me at a line so neither one of us gets lost."

"This is also a good idea for me," Natalie spoke quietly, putting her knife in her pants pocket. "I'm still a new recruit, and I need to learn much about stealth. So, I guess 1st Recon will give us a little tutorial!" Out of nowhere, Natalie wrapped her arms quickly around his torso. "If only you can travel with me!"

Just Natalie doing that to Craig for some reason made me irritated. "Get off of me, Boots!" Craig pushed Natalie away from him, breaking her hold off of his torso. "We don't have time for sappy, happy moments! We need to get going! Follow me!" He ran off, with me, Natalie, and Veronica on his tail, down the escalator and through the open area with the golden, metal rods holding some red rope and turned northeast towards a pair of metal doors. Craig briskly ran to the first one and held it up slightly, just enough for all of us to duck under to the outside.

Natalie was the first one to gasp when we got outside, seeing a huge plane sitting yards away from us. "Wow! I never seen anything like that before! It must be huge!"

"Yeah, it sure is big." Veronica added. "Hey, I wonder if it can fly anywhere around there. Though, I hate to see how many gallons of gas it has to take to fill up that huge tank. Maybe worth several thousand caps for that."

"This is not the time to sight seeing." Craig murmured, loud enough for us three to hear. "The lights in the control tower are on, so the leaker must be inside. If we can sneak inside without detection, we will know who the person is and what kind of Intel that soldier is sending to the Legion." His head turned to me. "Crimson, I need you to right by my side in there once all of us are at the door. It's probably unlocked."

My brows shot up when he suggested me to be by him. "Wait, why not Natalie? She should be learning this kind of stuff than me!"

Craig made at a scowl. "Because your stealth is half as good, even when you opened the restroom door without me detecting you." Crossing his arms, he looked at the control tower. "Plus, you are the quiet one out of all if us, so you are much suited for this. Not saying you are the best, I'm saying you and I can get into the room quietly while Boots and Brotherhood are watching our backs. Not only that, Crimson, you are a magnet for trouble."

I growled under my breath. "Great way to summarize that, Craig." I replied, sarcastically, but shrugged my shoulders. "Alright, let's go." I let the three run past me as I tail them toward the control tower. I took a quick look around the area, seeing huge crates from both the left and right. And to my right stands the tower that hovers over New Vegas. I slowed myself to gaze at it. "Wow, who ever knew that the view of that tower is beautiful..." I murmured to myself.

"So are you... I flinched, turning to see Craig standing two feet from me, with Natalie and Veronica still running to the tower, with his exprrssion calm and tranquill. I felt my face harden with confusion when I, probably assumed, heard what he said.

"Wait, what?" I spoke. "What do you mean 'so are you'? Are you talking about me?"

His eyes widen, and his face harden. "I mean, so are you going to stand there and gaze at the stars or are you going to help me with hearing the leaker!?" Craig twist back around toward the tower and ran to meet up with Veronica and Natalie.

I sighed and looked at their ground, placing my left hand on my head. "I think I must be imaging things...things that I might've thought Craig said." I dropped my hand and lift my head up to the tower before making a run towards my group. I got close to them, now in a crouching position, with Craig already at the door. I got myself in the position and waited for his word.

"Alright, I can hear him inside." Craig said softly, opening the door slightly. "Boots and Brotherhood, watch my and Crimson's backs." He turned his head to me. "Come on."

I nodded, letting Craig slowly opening the door while maintaining position and crept in, with me right behind him. Craig held up on hand up as a fist to signify a halt. "Lupa, this is Frumentarius Picus, over." The guy in the up on the top level spoke, which I happen to know whose voice it is.

"Go ahead, Picus." Some person said, sound like some kind of radio this Picus guy is talking to.

"Afternoon patrol enters Fiend territory at 1300." Picus said. "Have them mine that stretch."

"Ten-four, Picus." Lupa said. "Fiends will be alerted. What's the status of your primary mission, Picus?"

"Charges are set." Picus replied. "Detonation will occur as the train leaves the station. Around five minutes. Over."

_"Detonation!?" _I whispered in Craig's ear, only for him to hear. _"Does he mean he has placed some kind of explosive on a train?" _I turned to eye him, not noticing his face is just inches from mine. Seriously, just being this really close to a cold blooded sniper made my heart pound at a ten fold.

Craig's clear, green eyes pierced directly at mine. Though for some stupid reason I can hear not only my heart beat but his as well, the distance we are at is getting quite awkward. He shook his head a growled quietly with an irritated facade before creeping out of the tower. I followed him out, slowly closing the door behind me. "Damn it..." He said covering part of his face with his hand.

"What is it?" Veronica spoke. "Something bad going to happen?"

"I know that voice." I said, standing up with my hands balled up. "Actually, _we _know that voice, Craig. Remember that officer we saw when we went out of the restroom several hours ago!?"

Craig stood up, turning around to us. "Yes, that was Curtis's. He is the leaker all along, we were standing in front of him this whole, fucking time. But we can't waste time now, we only have about five minutes before that bomb in the monorail detonates. Let's find it, and deactivate it!"

Both Natalie and Veronica stood up and walked to Craig. "You must know where the monorail is since you said you know this camp inside and out. Take us there." Natalie said.

"We have got to keep a brisk pace if we are going to find that bomb." Craig suggested. "We don't know if what Curtis said is either a lie or truth, but we better defuse it early on and tell General Hsu about this." All of us didn't have to answer right away, all our mind is about diffusing the bomb. We all moved at a fast pace towards the metal doors into the camp that was left slightly opened.

Once everyone was in, I was the one who quickly shut the metal door down. "There, I don't think the leaker will notice this." I murmured, proceeding my way to catch up to the others up the nearest escalator to a hallway on the left where a lone, metal door is.

"It's through that door." Craig said, being the first one to open the door to let us in...or out of the camp. Once outside, we look in front of us a huge monorail docked near the platform. "Here's the monorail, but where is the bomb?"

"We should probably look around and find it." Veronica suggested. "Saves us half the time if we were to find it together."

Natalie came up to Veronica's side and nodded. "She's right. Let's spread around this area. If we ever to find one, we will give out a shout. But, I notice there is two monorail trains here. So, maybe we can pair up into two groups, one searches while the other watches for any hostile guests to come here."

"Good!" Veronica smiled and grabbed Natalie. "I'll get Boots here to search in the second train while Crimson and hulk work together in the first train. I'm sure you two can settle out the relationship while you cooperate."

I growled. I was going to tell them different about me and Craig, but the two girls are already running past us towards the second monorail. _Never fucking fails. I'm always stuck with Craig no matter what I say or do to stop it. _I eyed Craig, who is staring directly at me with an apprehensive glare. I walked forward towards the train. "We don't have a relationship..." I said to him as I pass by him. I got up the stairs into the cramp space, looking both sides of the train until I caught sight of a small red dot blinking in a small vent. "There!" I ran towards the vent and noticed it us screwed on tight. "Shit, now how are we going to get into it on time!?"

"We can figure it out together." Craig murmured from behind me. Slowly turning, I glared at him. He walked up to me until he stopped less than a foot from me, much to my surprise. "It does take two to finish one task, so why not. I bet you are better at this than I am."

I eyed him, but I grew irritated by his ever changing moods. I quickly turned away from him with my back towards him. "Shut up, Craig. Stop trying to act all calm and nice towards me when you know you are a bitter, cold blooded sniper whose mind is set on both the Legion _and _his wife. Just because I have fucking amnesia doesn't fucking mean everyone has to treat me like I am special! I a normal person, who is only out and about to gain my revenge on Benny for shooting me and getting that Platinum Chip off of his hands." I twisted myself partially so I can see Craig. "But tell me, Craig. Why have you decided to accompany me if you once said you wish to go back to the things you wanted to continue with?"

His facial appearance changed instantly after I finished speaking. It's some expression that is unfamiliar to me. "You dont understand, it's just..." He spoke, but stopped before raising an arm up towards me.

I noticed something moving into the train towards Craig with a gun raised at his head. "Look out!" I yelled, shoving Craig to the left before the NCR soldier took a shot st the metal behind me. I have my hunting knife out, arming myself at Cutis with his gun pointed at me. "So, it was you! You're the damn leaker that is doing this!"

Curtis's facial expressions didn't shift one bit. "A lowly courier finding out that I am the Legion spy who is sending out high ranked NCR Intel to the enemy? I say, I might be impressed that you have made it this far. But how are you going to deactivate the bomb without the specific codes?"

I flared up with rage, my nose wrinkled because of that. "Then I guess I'll have to fight for it or kill you just to get those codes!" I lunged forward and tackled Curtis down with my shoulder before he made another shot at me. I got on his abdominal area and tried to strike my knife at his chest, only to have his hands quickly grabbed my wrists. I kept pushing down, grunting with all my might to have the hunting knife dig into his chest cavity, but he prevailed with a hard push of his boot against my lower torso, sending me back to the floor.

"Fucking bitch." Curtis growled. "I would drag you all the way to Legion territory and have the recruits enslave you!" He came up in sight with his gun drawn at my head. "Three and a half fucking years I have tried to become one of the higher NCR ranks at a cost of cleaning one of the Generals to empty a space for me. General Hsu suspected a leaker probably lurking around the camp and asked for me to investigate." He pulled the hammer back on his pistol. "I'm afraid I can't let you report this to Hsu once I shoot you right now."

"Over my dead fucking body!" Craig, out of nowhere, yelled and shoved Curtis away from me, making Curtis release his weapon out of his grip. I got up as quickly as I can to see both NCR soldiers exchanging fists at each other. After a blow on Curtis's stomach from Crasig, Curtis rammed himself to his enemy out of the train. This only thing that flew off of Craig was his 1st Recon beret.

I stood up and ran over to the doorway, grabbing Craig's beret in the process. Curtis punched Craig's face, making him tumble backwards on the wall behind him. "Craig!" With his beret in my hand, I sprinted out oo the train to my companion. But my pace was short lived when Curtis swiftly grabbed my neck. "Gah!" I spoke, having very little breathing room in my throat to take in oxygen. "S-Stop!" I squeaked.

"Crimson!" I heard Natalie and Veronica yelling at my left. "Unhand her now!" Natalie commanded to Curtis, who still has his grip on my neck.

"You think I am going to take commands from a clueless new recruit like you!?" Curtis's arm shook, while he chuckled. "Pup, it would take about four years to reach the rank I am at. But with a little 'accident' I did, General Hsu had me fill in the spot, and knew I can be trusted with the high-ranked NCR Intel. This damn military will crumble to the Legion, and there is nothing any of you worthless women can do to stop it!"

With my neck still in his grip, I still have some strength the lift my right leg up and kicked him in the lower area. He released me out of his grip, having me cough several times. "Damn it, the bruises haven't healed quickly enough!" I wheezed, my eyes fixed at Curtis, who is pushed down by Craig.

"Crimson, are you alright!?" Craig ran up to me with his eyes widen directly at me with concern. He was a foot from me when, unexpectedly, Curtis rammed at him with sheer force that made him pushed Craig, along with himself into the train with the door closing behind them.

"No, Craig!" I yelled, running over to the train. But it was too late. "NO!" I ran after the train to catch up to the door, but only stopped by the railings in front of me. "CRAIG!" My hand reached out as the train was about to turn left on the tracks, only to have it explode in seconds. I dropped my arm, everything went quiet and blank with my gaze staring at the destroyed train still on the track.

"Oh no..." I heard Natalie whimpered behind me, followed by a small sob forming in her.

I stood still, tuning everything out around me, with my eyes still fixed ahead of me. I dropped down on my knees, feeling the burning in my eyes from the overflow of tears forming through my eyelids. I held Craig's beret in my right hand, with both of my hands quickky clenching my head as I let out an agonizing, heartbreaking screamed that echoed across the wasteland.


	24. Chapter 23 - Honor and Bounty

_**-Three-Card Bounty-**_

Never in my existence here in the wasteland have I ever felt severely inflicted within me to witness the monorail train, harboring a small bomb in a vent, detonated with Craig inside along with the Legion spy NCR officer Curtis who pushed him in. The only thing left from him is his beret that flew off of his head, which he never takes off. I knelt over with my face near my knees as my cries of anguish overfill my subconscious. _I...I guess this is the death...Craig was waiting for... _I thought, feeling the pain in my chest cavity intensify.

"What happened here!?" I can hear the sound of Hsu's voice from behind me. "What happened to the monorail!?"

"General Hsu, sir," Natalie spoke. "There was a bomb that was implanted in that monorail out there. Crimson and 1st Recon found it, only to have the leaker ambush them to prevent them from disarming the bomb. And the leaker turned out to be the one named Curtis!"

"Curtis!?" Boyd's voice was heard in the background. "Officer Curtis!? But that can't be right! How do you know for sure it is not a Legion spy or anybody else?"

"Curtis _is _the Legion spy, as what Crimson and 1st Recon said!" Natalie answered. "They even got the centurion to tell them when they noticed him walking out of the interrogation room, before she stabbed him. Then all four of us snuck out to the back towards the control tower, where both of them silently went in about found out about the leaker and the bomb."

"But..." Veronica added. "unfortunately, we didn't get to disarm the bomb in time..."

"I see..." Boyd doesn't sound too satisfied. "But if the monorail has already been destroyed, where is Officer Curtis and 1st Recon?" Everything went silent for a moment, then some footsteps came to my direction. "Oh no...what happened to 1st Recon!?" She sounded surprised.

I didn't realize I am still holding onto Craig's beret, meaning that she knows something bad has happened to him. I slowly used my weak arm to push myself up, with so many tears flowing out of my eyelids. "That damn Curtis pushed himself along with Craig into the train just before the monorail door closed. He tried to make sure no one would catch him if we were to turn him in." I looked down at the 1st Recon beret in my hand, with more tears dropping down to it.

I felt Boyd's hand touched my left shoulder, that caught my attention. I turned my head to an apologetic Boyd. "I'm so sorry, couri- I mean, Crimson. Really, I am. I...I never would've expect anything like this to happen, even having one of our most honorable 1st Recon snipers getting caught in the midst of the problem. I wish I can ask to hand over the beret," when she said that, my eyes widen while clutching tightly on the beret. "but seeing how much you care for him, I'll let you hold on to it."

_Care for him!? _I thought, perplexed about the statement. _But...Craig is only a companion._ Sure he and I have saved each other's asses from certain terms of near death and such, but I don't think there is ever a line of 'care' in the rule description. I eyed back at the beret, carefully placing it in my pants pocket. "Thanks..." I murmured solemnly, then stood up along with Boyd.

"Well, I don't know what else how we are going to settle this out," Hsu spoke. "but, we will keep an out for any other NCR officers or soldiers that would try to follow in the footsteps of passing out more NCR Intel. Right now, we all should head back to sleep. I have planned a few more assignments for the fo-" he stopped for a moment, almost saying four when one is not with us. "three of you to work on as punishment."

"Yes, sir!" Veronica and Natalie said, leaving only me to be the silent one of the trio. Boyd gently nudged my shoulder, trying to get me to move. All of us started moving, but I looked out into the destroyed monorail and sighed. I turned to face the others as they waited for me and Boyd to make our way inside.

* * *

The wind whistled through my ears in the open wasteland. I stood on some kind of ledge, pondering about how I got up here. But way down on ground level, several yards from where I am standing, I noticed a familiar figure with a red beret on, standing opposite from me. _"Craig!?" _I said with my eyes widen. I noticed another figure walking over to him, but then I suddenly noticed who that person is. _"Legion!?" _I gasped. the Legion's face is covered, and he has his gun in his hand. The barrel part of the gun was pointing at the right side of Craig's head.

_"Die, degenerate!" _The masked Legion yelled, taking a shot at his head.

"CRAIG!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I huffed heavily, feeling myself sitting on the bed I was laying on last night after the horrific scene near the monorail. Beads of sweat poured down my face, knowing a fact that I somehow had a nightmare. I deeply sighed, lying back down on the bed, noticing Craig's beret on the left side of my face. I grabbed it with my right hand and hovered it over my face, eyeing the red material and the little, metal insignia with the skull and cross rifles behind it. "The last thing you never see..." I murmured the quote engraved in bold, gold words.

"Are you okay, Crimson?" Natalie appeared within my sight, showing a sympathetic glare in her eyes. "It sounded like you had a nightmare for a moment there. I just receive word from General Hsu that we must meet us with him outside immediately for out next group assignment."

"I hope it's not anything too complicated like last night." Veronica spoke. I turned my head, glaring glumly at her. "I mean, hoping we won't be the next ones to be killed by explosions or what not. I really hate to end up like your boyfriend there."

I sat up and got to my feet as quickly as I can, clutching on the beret. "He...is not...my boyfriend! He is married to someone else! So, shut up about him and let's get going!" I quickly got my leather trench coat on and fastened the buttons before clipping my laser rifle holster on me.

Veronica remained neutral, waving both of her hand up over her torso. "Sorry if I offended you. Just that by looking at the two of you together, you seemed to have some sort of connection. Or maybe it's just my imagination."

I holster my laser rifle in its pouch, having my eyes fixed at the Brotherhood broad. "We don't...just drop it..." I walked away without making eye contact to the door. But the door swung opened, showing Boyd on the other side of the doorway.

"Good, you gals are up!" Boyd smiled, crossing her arms over her torso. "General Hsu is waiting outside with Major Dhatri for your next assignment. Let's see if you can handle a little bounty hunting." She tilt her head slightly to Natalie. "And Sanders, I am going to need that map of yours for a moment."

Natalie nodded and reached into her pants pocket for the tan, folded up map. "Here it is, ma'am. Should we be on our way now to meet up with the General?"

Boyd nodded. "Exactly. I'll lead you three all the way over there." The three of us walked out of the room with our weapons on our person, except for Veronica, and followed Boyd through the hallway towards the escalator down to the bottom floor. We kept following her past the sand bag barricade to the middle set of three doors, pushing it outwards to see both Hsu and another person standing side by side on the road. "General Hsu, Major Dhatri," Boyd stopped feet from them and saluted them. "the gals are here for their next assignment."

"Goods morning, you three. As you heard from Lieutenant Boyd here that I am Major Dhatri." The guy with the bushy facial hair to the right of Hsu spoke. "Courier, Brotherhood, Sanders. I have to say I am in deep remorse about your 1st Recon friend. Though it was a hard blow, but let's hope his name won't die in vain." He shift his gaze at mer. "I also heard that you have his 1st Recon beret in your person, correct?"

I looked at the ground below me, digging into my right coat pocket and pulled out Craig's beret. "Yes, that is correct, sir." I said, eyeing the Major.

"You know," Dhatri spoke. "the reason why new recruit Sanders is wearing one of her own is because it use to belong to another one of our fine snipers that died in the line of duty, who happens to be her father, Darius Sanders. Since she insisted in following her father's footsteps in the military, General Hsu enlisted her and gave her that same beret as a symbol of her father's hard work and bravery."

"But because we don't let anyone outside of NCR to wear one," Hsu added. "I decided to make an exemption. Since you, courier, have done a lot along with the NCR and protecting one of our new recruits, I have given a notion to let you wear that beret, and honor his fallen soul to the death."

I gasped, taken aback by the suggestion Hsu ordered for me to do. I glared back at Craig's beret, feeling his presence with me, and decide to place it on my head. "I'll do that, sir!" I responded. "I'll keep wearing this like Craig has. I'll wear it with pride and honor him!"

"Good." Hsu nodded. "Now, I wonder if the three of you are wondering why we are all outside?" We all went silent, not saying a word to the General. "Well, reason why is that there has been heavy Fiend activity outside these walls, and we are trying as much as we can to get rid of them. And Dhatri here wants you to deal with the Fiend problem."

"Damn right, I am!" Dhatri spoke. "I got three Fiends on the list that need to be dead, and I don't give a goddamn how it gets done. Does it sound like something that interests you three?"

"Yes, sir!" Veronica, Natalie and I said simultaneously.

Dhatri huffed a chuckle and smiled. "Good, that's damn good. I like the way you three handle that with tenacity. I'd figure it's about time we got lucky out here, so maybe you three can snuff one of these maniacs. First one calls herself Violet. God knows why- the name is the prettiest thing about her. She has a pack of dogs that she considers them as her children. Then there's Driver Nephi. He's fast and he's brutal, killed a dozen of my men with a goddamn driver iron. Hence his name. And finally...Cook-Cook. Rapist, pyromaniac, and a damn good chef, if you believe the Fiends we've captured. Probably the craziest of the lot."

"Those sound like some pretty dangerous group of people to list off, sir." Veronica spoke. "Sounded like you hated them with a passion for a reason "

Dhatri nodded. "Damn right, Brotherhood. Now I am not going to feed you any bullshit here, you three. These aren't your common Vegas trash. They've all killed good NCR men, and plenty of mercs, too. You three go after them, one by one as a full unit, and any one of them it'll be one hell of a fight. Lieutenant Boyd has the positions marked on Sander's map. That'll give you the indication on where to go to."

Boyd held up the folded note in her hand and gave it to Natalie. "Here you go, Sanders. The positions are marked with a small x on it." Natalie kindly grabbed the folded map from the lieutenant.

"And one other thing," Dhatri intruded. "When obtaining these bounties, I expect you to sever their heads from their necks and bring them to me intact. Which means no headshots. If I you ever given me ahead that looks like a rotten tomato, people will start to suspect. You do that, I will pay you three one-third of the bounty amount. Stay safe out there, and good hunting." Dhatri turned around and walked away towards the front of the camp with Boyd and Hsu walking back inside the terminal.

Natalie, in the corner if my left eye, opened up the map to examine the marks Boyd left on it. "Hmm," me and Veronica got close to Natalie to see three little black x's on three different areas outside the camp. "Violet, Driver Nephi, and Cook-cook. Kind of some weird names to be referred to for those Fiends. But, Major Dhatri said they are dangerous, and we can't scar their faces."

"Maybe we can try getting them in range so we can snap their necks." Veronica suggested. "But...I remember each one of them have something that might render our chances to none. Violet has dogs, Nephi has a driver iron- whatever that is-, and Cook is a pyromaniac. Which means he has something that shoots out fire."

"Probably an Incinerator, if I remember correctly." I clarified. "I remember back in Primm this one convict back in Bison Steve had an Incinerator while trying to fight me off. If we can find a way to intercept the three and get their heads off of their shoulders..." I sighed, trying to figure a plan would be near impossible to make if we have to avoid shooting the targeted Fiends in the face.

Natalie folded up her map and put it in her pocket. "Well, let's start off with Violet. Maybe if we can eliminate the dogs she consider as her 'children', we can huddle to her to a corner and shoot at her torso. Then maybe Crimson can use her hunting knife to slice the head off the neck."

I smiled, giving her a nod. "Sure thing! It's a good thing my knife is big enough t-" I went to take my hunting knife out of its sheath on my right hip, but I don't feel the handle part of the knife. "Oh...oh no!"

Both Natalie and Veronica eyed each other, then back at me with confusion. "Uhh, something wrong, Crimson? Did something happened to your knife?" Veronica spoke.

I groaned, clenching both my hands on my head. "Fucking-a! I think I dropped my knife back at that monorail train that got destroyed when Curtis shoved me away from him. I think he must've used that to kill Craig first." I felt my eyes beginning to sting from the tears forming in my lower eyelid.

I noticed a hand appeared in front of me that looks like a handle with a two headed animal, probably a bear as Natalie said, with the words 'New California Republic' over it. "Here, I'll let you have my switchblade. It'll come in handy if you wanted to stab someone, carve something, or maybe cut up some food. I, myself, am not good with the knife. The military only gave it to me for other reasons such as close range combat, which is my flaw."

I eyed the switchblade in Natalie's hand and kindly took it, flicking it to let out a sharp, pointed, black knife appear. "Not as good as my hunting knife, but this will do for now until I find another one. But we should focus on getting their heads, and hope our heads won't be part of the Fiends bounty."

Natalie and Veronica couldn't help but laugh along with me on my bland joke. Kicking the soles of our shoes on the gravel, we sprint to the metal doors out the walls of Camp McCarran in hopes of obtaining the bounty.

* * *

"So this is Fiend territory, huh?" Veronica spoke. We have reached across a set of train tracks towards a huge area with buildings that reduce to rubble or already crumbled to the ground. "Man, this whole area looks like chaos was overthrown before the bombs hit two centuries ago.

"Bomb?" I asked. "How did that happened?"

Natalie and Veronica glared at me with a dumbfounded expression in their faces. "You're kidding us, right? You don't know anything about the bombs hitting and landing here almost 200 years ago!? What kind of rock or vault have you been living in!?"

I glumly stared at my two teammates. "As I said, Natalie! Because of the bullet that was lodged in my skull from Benny, my supposed killer, who shot me. I have no ounce of memory about the life I had before I woke up in Goodsprings! That's why I am heading to New Vegas so I can confront him, demand answers, and take that Platinum Chip from his dirty fingers! But because I am enduring the same punishment with you and Veronica, it'll be a while before I can go over there."

"Hey, I hear someone!" A female voice echoed along the ruins as we walked deeper in the territory.

The three of us got into the offense- me with my laser rifle, Natalie with her shotgun, and Veronica holding her fists- and have our backs touched against each other to see for any Fiends that might pop up in any direction. "Keep on your guard, guys! I heard those Fiends can attack you from behind!"

A red beam shot right past my face from the east. "I think they already found us!" I yelled, aiming my gun at the Fiends charging in after us. I shot the first Fiend on the arm, only to see a small burn mark that is barely enough to immobilize him. "Die, you fucking Fiends!" I shot a few more rounds at him, still not enough to bring him down.

"I got him!" Veronica jumped in front of me, thrusting her fist forward to the Fiend that created a surprising shockwave, making the Fiend fall to the ground. "Okay, who wants more!" She challenged.

A small shot was heard from Natalie's shotgun, wanting to make sure the Fiend on the ground is officially dead. "I think we got more around us! Little cub battalion, man you positions and fight for your life! Don't let a single Fiend run and live!" She ran forward to the female Fiend, taking several shots towards the head. With the female Fiend down and out on the ground, Natalie walked to the lifeless body and knelt down for a closer look. Not Violet," Natalie stood up and turned to my direction. "but we better keep se- WATCH OUT CRIMSON!" She shrieked.

I turned to see a Fiend with a chainsaw coming after me. "Shit!" Just as I was going to make a run for it, the Fiends head exploded just a foot from me. "Huh? How did tha-"

"Hey, you think you can hog all the fun from me!? No fair!" Someone said to the right if me. I turned around to see a tall figure walking towards me. "Hey there!"

_Huh? _I thought to myself.


	25. Chapter 24 - Codename: Duster

_**-Three-Card Bounty Pt. 2-**_

"Howdy, young ladies! Here fer a lil' bounty hunting'!?" The mysterious person spoke in some accent that was exactly like Victor's. His tail of his long sleeved, tan trench coat waved slightly through the gently breeze while his knee high, black boots scuffed on the tan dirt. His upper trench coat is opened, showing a dark gray, turtle neck shirt along with light gray pants in which the bottom part of it is in the black boots. His hair is gray and long that is tied in a pony tail with some on the sides of his face. His skin tone is fair, with a little noticeable facial hair on their upper, sides and under the lip and along the jawline. He even has eye patch on his right eye, and a cigarette in between his lips.

Natalie ran to my side with her shotgun still in her hands. "Who are you, friend or foe? If you are foe, you better have a good reason why you decided to waltz over into our business!" Natalie raised her gun with the barrel pointed at the stranger's head.

The guy raised his fingerless glove covered hands up, one of them having a pistol in the right hand. "Whoa, now hold on there, young lady! I didn' scuff my soles a long way just fer shootin' people who aren' either Fiends or those two timin' bull headed pansies. I'm here to collect a bounty, or bounties on some wanted crooks in this here territory. And I heard from one o' ya fellers that ya searchin' for Violet."

"Exactly!" I said, putting my laser rifle in the holster. "We are in as a little unit sent by Major Dhatri back in Camp McCarran to get the heads of Violet, Nephi, and Cook-cook, and they have to be intact."

The stranger took a puff of smoke from his cigarette and blew it into their air above him. "Well, blow sand on me an' call me a desert, I am lookin' for those specific three fer the past two weeks. I am on a bounty huntin' excursion fer the rootin' tootnis renegades of the wastes, collectin' their heads or wrangle 'em to the ranch." He spun the pistol with his finger before putting it in the small holster on his right hip. "The Round Up Ranch to be exact."

"Never heard of anything like that." Veronica said, walking towards me and Natalie while her face is facing the stranger. "So, you are consider a bounty hunter? What's your take in the business? Do you work alone, or is there other people who do bounty hunting like you?"

"Not to mention you haven't introduce yourself to us." I said, crossing my arms over my torso.

The stranger chuckled, taking one more puff of smoke before dropping it to the ground and extinguishing it with his boot. "My, my, where are my manners, young ladies!" He bend his upper part of his body down, like he is doing a little bow. "I don't tell anybody my real name, but I go by my code name: Duster." He lifted his upper body back up straight. "Reason behind the name is due to wraglin' with my opponent on the dust. And I never wash myself until the job is done with caps in hand."

Veronica was the first one to make a disgusted sound. "Ugh, no wonder why you smell like brahmin pies from a mile away. Hygiene at a periodic bases is good for the mind and body, body most importantly. Plus, smoking is bad for your health."

Duster chuckled in a carefree way. "Ah, you young broads sure know how to keep this man entertained. If I had my caps in my hand, I'd prob'ly have a room rented and show ya a good time!" He gave us a wide grin.

The three of us just stared blankly at his 'invitation'. But, for one thing, I don't think we buy it one bit. "So, you decide to spend all if your hard earn caps and bring in a completely random stranger to a smelly little room and sleep with her?" Veronica spoke.

"Well, with a little buckin' the she-brahmin for eight seconds and hogtail outta sight," Duster spoke. "hate to stick aroun' for the cattle's hooves to imprint my back. Bounty collecting ain't gon' to collect 'emselves ya know, or someone from the Ranch will take the bounty." He gave out a slight chuckle. "We're all competitive when it comes t' wanted rascals, even ones with a high price o' caps on their heads. So, whatdya say we handle this here bounty business together, split the profit in fours!"

I scoffed, shaking my head in an unpleasant way. "Look, Duster. Me, Natalie, and Veronica here will take care of ourselves and handle the job. Though we would like to handle the bounty collecting just us three women, but with one person short..." I stopped, clenching my hands after reminding myself about Craig. I shift my gaze at another direction, displeased about the horrific scene back at their camp. "I wish he can be here to help..."

"_He_?" Duster spoke. "Who's he, boyfriend of yours?"

"He's _not _my boyfriend!" I protested, twisting my head quickly back to Duster. I jabbed my right index finger a Craig's beret on my head. "This beret belong to him, a 1st Recon sniper of the NCR. And he's a damn good sharp shooter." I dropped my arm and sighed. "Well, he's a former, but he's the one not to betray the ones he use to fight along side."

I saw Natalie nodded, agreeing with me. "That's true. Just recently, a Legion spy under NCR uniform planted a bomb in a monorail train, and he shoved himself along with 1st Recon into the train before it sent out, only to have it explode seconds later..."

"Oh, pardon my intrusion, ladies." Duster's voice grew sympathetic. "I bet that was that explosion that echoed throughout the open wasteland. I'm so sorry about your friend's death." All was quiet in our little group, until Duster huffed out sharply. "Young ladies, I meant this as a gentleman and not some womanizer or anything' of such sort. But, I would like t' ask if I can accompany you three in the hunt for the three targeted Fiends. I promise to leave ya three with th' reward."

"Hmm..." Veronica pondered, placing her left index on her chin. "What's in it for us? We've just only met each other for about...4.43 minutes. Even shorter than my introductory." A giggle escaped her.

Me and Natalie groaned. "Brotherhood, this is serious!" Natalie spoke. "How will we know if he is useful to us on our objective at hand!? Sure he shot one Fiend dead, but would it take just a .32 pistol to take care of the three wanted Fiends?"

Duster chuckled, echoing through the area that almost made us jump out of our skin. "Ah, ya lil' NCR soldiers don' know th' way of gun-slingin' here in th' wastes, like a confused brahmin trailin' their way back t' the herd with no direction. Folks o' the Ranch don' call me Quick-Snap Duster fer nothin'! My gun-slingin' abilities 're as fast as a Bloatfly launchin' their spikes at ya, and I've handled convicts and scoundrels with good ol' Iron Shot here!" He brought out his small gun, twirling it vertically with his middle right finger before grasping its handle. "Ev'ryone in the Ranch names their gun they've chosen t' use."

I felt perplexed. If he says about this 'gun-slinging' are true, maybe he should prove it to us. "Okay, Duster." I said, resting my hands on my hips. "If you say that your abilities are true, why not show us instead of standing in front of us and giving us a speech about it. If we can see that you are useful with you pistol, you can come as long with us in the bounty hunting quest."

"What!?" My two female companions glared at me, like I just made a bad decision.

Duster curled the left corner of his lips up to a satisfied grin. "Say no more, ma'am!" With a quick snapp of his pistol, the rolling barrel extended out to the left. Duster dug his hand in his coat pocket, with a little jingling sound, he brought out six small bullets and insert one by one into the barel. "Find me a herd o' runnin' Fiends and let me git t' work!" Duster slapped the barrel back into the gun and gave it a few spins.

"Maybe if we go find Violet and eradicate her dogs," Veronica suggested. "that will be good for you to show us how you can use your pistol. But, apparently we have run into a dead end."

A finger of Duster's is held up instantly after Veronica stated our predicament. He skid his boots around to our left and began walking forward. He waved a hand at us, gesturing us to follow him. "I know this here territory like the back o' my hand. Ya see, I use t' be one of 'em chem junkies about fifteen years ago."

"You were!?" We took our guns out, Veronica getting into her attack stance.

Duster spun around and held his arms forward with his palms open, waving for us to stop. "Whoa, holster yer guns, ladies! I said I use t' be one of 'em, not sayin' I'm one still. If ya hear me out, I'd tell ya!" All was silent between the four of us. We released the unwanted tension with us and put our weapons back on our holsters. "Good, now I don' want all of ya to be twitchy like a mantis, all I'm just tellin' ya 'bout my days before I join the bounty huntin' business. I was thirteen when I left my folks, rebellious at that time. Livin' in the wastes alone was pretty difficult if ya ask me. I filled myself with too much of 'em chems to release th' pain of loneliness out in th' open field. I was twenty years old when I joined the Fiends."

"What made you get into a different road away from the Fiends?" Natalie asked. "Did they try to kill you?"

"Oh, ya damn tootin' they try to kill me!" Duster spoke. He stopped at a huge building with two double doors in front of him in between two barrels with fire in it.. "Be cautious, everyone." He said, changing the subject. "We don' know if those chem junkies are guardin' the door, always arm ya'self whenever nessecary!" Duster slowly twisted the knob on one of the doors and pushed it gently. It creaked a bit, but we don't hear any voices on the other side. Duster poked his head through the small opening for a better view. "Alright, cone on!" Duster snuck the door with the door opened a little wider to let the three of us in.

I surveyed the area, seeing how most of the building is devastated. Some parts of the building are tipping slightly, making it look like a huge slab of concrete is about to fall on us. "Shit, just looking at this building gives me a queasy feeling that it might squish us into a pancake! Are you sure this place is safe to enter, Duster!?" I took out the little switch blade Natalie gave me, making the knife part spring out of the side of the handle.

"Been through this hundreds o' times." Duster murmured, very cautious on not attracting attention. "Come, stay close." He crouched down and briskly crept through the perimeter towards the wide doorway yards from us. We got to the left side of the opening, hearing some people talking behind us. "Okay, I hear two Fiends behind us." He raised his pistol up. "Time to clean up and sober up the wastes!" He slowly peeked through the edge before waving his hand for us to to to the right of the opening. "Stay hidden an' watch what I do."

Natalie, Veronica, and I all looked at each other with an eyebrow raised. I was the one that shrugged my shoulders and stealthily made my way to the other side of the doorway. _"I hope he knows what he's doing..." _I whispered to my other two companions, who got right behind me but made sure they have room to see Duster's show.

Duster smirked and ran through the opening, making himself known to the two Fiends. "Hey, junkies!" He yelled, pulling his pistol forward to the Fiends. "Come and get me!" He just stood still with pistol out as the Fiend with a long stick started charging at him. The female Fiend is just mere inches from Duster when his other hand swiftly tapped the hammer back and shot the Fiend continuously. Six shots were fired at an astounding time of two seconds that killed the Fiend.

I could've sworn my jaw has dropped down to the gravel below me at his swift pistol shooting skills. "Shit, he's not lying!" I said to the two companions behind me.

"Alright, ladies!" Duster bellowed out, reloading the bullets into his pistol barrel. "Care t' join in on the standoff? Got five of 'em right behind me!" He fired off two shots at the second Fiend's head, making him stumble to the ground.

We got up and ran to maintain out stance with Duster against the flock of Fiends. Two of them are using long range weapons consist if lasers and some green orbs launching at us. The other three have melee weapons, charging at us with it. I ran forward to one of the Fiends grasping a pipe. "I may not have my hunting knife, but this little sharp one is just as good!" I ducked just as soon as the Fiend swung his pipe at me and struck him on the upper right hip. Unsheathing the knife from him, while his cries of pain echoed in the area, I took the opportunity to grab his face and thrust the knifer down jugular.

"Whoa! Well I'll be an alert cazadore on a hot day!" Duster whistled, firing off three more speed rounds at another Fiend in which Veronica punched its head out of its shoulders. "Nice use o' knife handlin', red head!" He complemented, referring to me.

I glared at the other Fiends meters away from me as I knocked the dead Fiend away from me. Natalie knelt down on one knee and focused on the Fiend to the right. She took only one shot at it, but clicking noises were heard in her shotgun. "Aw great! I need to reload!" Her hands began to shake as she hesitantly try to search in her pocket for more ammo.

I saw Duster walked past me when he put on some brass color rings that are attached to each other with spikes on the knuckles. "Lemme handle 'em cowards! I haven' used my brass knucks in a long time!" With his fists armed and ready with the spikes on top, he moved forward at a brisk pace, nearly dodging almost all if the green orbs and red lasers that were coming towards his way. Several burn marks on his outfit and arms didn't slow him down as he thrust his fist at the first Fiend's neck, making blood pour down its neck.

The of us women stared at him from a great distance, making sure we don't end up in his sights as his next target. "H-Holy schmoly!" Natalie whimpered. "I hate to be punched on the neck by those spiked brass knuckles if I were a Fiend." She held onto her shotgun and eyed Duster, who punched the same Fiend on the face.

"Nighty night, ya chem bastards!" Duster yelled, tossing the first Fiend down and uppercutted the second Fiend on the jaw line. "Enjoy..." He grabbed the Fiend's neck. "your life" he readies his fist behind himself. "in hell!" With a swift punch on his enemy's face, the Fiend slumped down, showing his face barely unrecognizable. Duster dropped the Fiend down before grabbing a bottle and opened it, pouring the liquid over the brass knuckles to wash away the excess blood.

"Hmm," Veronica made a sound. "I thought I was the one that always punches my enemies like they punching bags. But that really does take dust off of my shoulders..." Without looking or moving one inch, Veronica punched an oncoming Fiend with a small knife on the face, making the neck of the Fiend having a snapping sound from there impact.

Duster came near the three of us as soon as he took his sdpiked brass knuckles off of his hands, placing them in his coat pocket. "Sorry 'bout my lil' dance number back there. I was train t' beat an enemy senseless 'til they're dead or the face is like a scarred ghoul's face." A little white cigarette was pulled from his ear as he used the barrel with the fire in it to ignite the end part. He puffed a few times to get the cigarette going before taking a deep puff of smoke and blew it into the air. "So, how 'bout that agreement, red head? Mind I join along the huntin' for the Fiend's heads? I showed ya my skills, pretty quick an' some unknown

Natalie placed her shotgun in the holster and ran up to Duster's side. "You're gun-slinging skills are amazing Duster!" She cheered, bouncing IP and down in one place. "Hey, maybe you can teach me a few pointers on how to reload and shoot as quick as you! Please, please, please!" She grabbed and held on Duster's left arm.

Veronica began laughing and walked over to the two. "Or maybe you we can do some warm up punches and teach some techniques along the way. I know a maneuver or two that'll just get you going and punching like crazy!" She punched Duster's gut. "But even for a woman-hopping, smoking, begger looking guy, you sure got surprises underneath those sleeves."

Duster wheezed and coughed from Veronica's punch on his gut. "Th-Thanks..." He stood up, coughed one more time before shifting his head at my direction. "I hope ya not gon' t' be the only lady who would rather disapprove me. I like to hear your take on what ya witness."

I smiled slightly at him. Yeah, Duster sure is one hell of a swift gunslinger and a hard puncher, but something within me somehow feels really different about this. I just can't put my finger on it for some reason. "Alright, I guess you did prove your usefulness. Might as well accompany us on our bounty hunting."

"Yeeee-haw!" Duster cheered, thrust his right fist into the air. "Thank you, young ladies! I hope ya won't regret your decision. Violet's lil' refuge is not that far from here! I'll take ya there in no time."

While the three are cheering and talking, I looked away at the opposite direction, having some unknown feeling eating away inside myself. _I should feel happy about a new member joining along in our mission, but why do I feel all...down? _I thought to myself. I went to move my hand up and ruffle my shaggy red hair a not, but I felt there soft, velvet touch of Craig's beret on my head. But, then it hit me, hit me deep within my subconscious that I figured out the problem to my negative emotions. _Is...is it because Craig is not around? _I pondered to myself. I noticed the three companions of mine are waiting for me to go to them so we can find our first target. "Let's go get Violet!" I declared, and that's when all four of us high tail on north, following Duster to our first wanted target.


	26. Chapter 25 - Void

_**-Three-Card Bounty Pt. 3-**_

"Shit, why do I have to open my damn mouth!" I yelled as I strike one of the Fiend's heads with my switchblade that was trying to hit me with a baseball bat. Along with Veronica, Natalie, and our new traveler, a bounty hunter going by the name Duster, are now feet within the compounds of a Fiend named Cook-cook's refuge as what Duster led us into. After my assumption with Duster frisking my behind, he and I ended up arguing to the point where I bellowed out names while the four of us were in stealth mode.

Veronica is fighting off two Fiends at one time, one unarmed and one with a board filled with nails. "Darn it," Veronica hopped backward, trying to dodge from the sharp, nail board as much as she can. "can't seem to hit one while the other its trying to put holes on me!"

Natalie has her shotgun pointed at a Fiend with a gun that shoots off red lasers continuously at her. A few beams shot through the right sleeve of her uniform, making Natalie clenching the minor burn area with her left hand. "Man, these Fiends know how to use a gun too well!" She fired off three shots at the Fiend. Two only landed on the right leg, making the Fiend fall down to the ground. "Yes! Enemy crippled!" She cheered.

Me and Duster are trying to gun down the leader of the little group, Cook-Cook, for his head as what Major Dhatri instructed us to obtain. But with a hoard of fireballs being chucked towards us, we can't get close to him without being burned to a crisp. I happened to bump into Duster, whom I 1 shoved away due to his inappropriate gesture. "If you haven't touched me, Duster, we couldn't have got into this mess!" I growled, taking my laser rifle out and started shooting at Cook-Cook.

"I didn' do it!" Duster yelled, quick shooting two times at one of the oncoming Fiend with a long, wooden stick. "I told ya I tripped over a pesky crack an' accidently tou- LOOK OUT!" Duster lunged forward and tackled me down, noticing a fireball flying over us. "Dang nabbit, Cook-Cook! Ya tryin' t' turn us into a barbecue!?"

The metal armor wearing Fiend, Cook-Cook, chuckled while holding onto the Incinerator with the barrel part pointing at us. "Who fucking cares, Dust rag! You think that you have become one of them bounty hunters after I took your spot so you can get my head!? Well, my other head is itching and twitching for a little play date!"

Annoyed, I shoved Duster off of me and fired off a few more rounds, only to hit his metallic shoulder plate. "As fucking if, Cook-Cook!" I yelled while I got back onto my feet. "We will obtain your head for their bounty, you deserve to be sent to hell!" One Fiend came out of nowhere with a bat and swung at me. Luckily, I ducked down at the knick of time before thrusting my switchblade in his stomach, bringing it in horizontally making all of his organs and blood pour our before he fell face first. With all the Fiends down, it is just only Cook-Cook left standing.

"We all got you surrounded, Cook-Cook." Natalie walked along with me and Duster with her shotgun pointed at the enemy. "Surrender while you can and we won't use deadly force."

Cook-Cook kept a hold of his Incinerator as he began to laugh. "You think I would take orders with a stupid pipsqueak soldier!? We Fiends don't take orders from anyone! Now, be good targets and let me burn your asses! Maybe I'll have fun with a burning corpse." He shot a few fireballs at our direction.

The three of us hopped in different directions to avoid the fireballs, but one of them happened to fly through my right forearm. "AURGH!" I yelped, clasping the burning sensation with my left hand. "Damn it! I've been burned!" I began blowing on the seared skin to cool down the burning sensation. "Fuck...I think I might have a permanent mark on my arm.*

"Don't worry about that, Crimson!" Natalie yelled, reloading her shotgun as fast as she can. "We need t-" she stopped mid sentence, scanning the area while jumping to the right to avoid another flurry of fireballs. "Hey, where's Brotherhood?"

Duster happened to leap in between me and Natalie. "Hmm, that Brotherhood gal somehow vanished. Wonder why she slither on without tellin' a hint for us?"

Cook-Cook proceeded to walk towards us, aiming the Incinerator at us with a wicked smirk. "A few more launches should take you three out. Now, stay still a-" a pair of hands grasp onto the front and back of Cook-Cook's head and twist it to the right in a flash, creating a snapping sound before falling onto the ground, face first.

"Well, that takes care of that." Veronica revealed herself after Cook-Cook's downfall, dusting away the particles off of her hands. The three of us eyed our Brotherhood friend with apprehension as to how she got right behind Cook-Cook without being detected. "What? The Brotherhood of Steel didn't teach me how to sneak and kill someone without being noticed for nothing. We have to keep ourselves educated if we are going to survive in the wastes."

"Shoo-whee!" Duster whistle. "I heard o' twistin' necks, but just seein' that spine chillin' scene, nuh-uh! I'd rather pistol whip my way through 'em rascals. An' speakin' of rascals, that head of Cook-Cook's. We should pop it off his shoulders." Duster eyed the lifeless Cook-Cook on the Incinerator barrel part. "But, how?"

Veronica walked towards me and took my switchblade from my hand. "Slice the neck in half, horizontally." She walked back over to the dead Cook-Cook and held up his head. "If any you three have a very we ask stomach, I suggest you turn around and look the other way." Without the three of us moving an inch, she swiftly sliced the neck of Cook-Cook's in half. She raised he decapitated head up in the air with blood dripping out of the neck as a dreadful glare from the dead Fiend was shown.

"O-Oh god-!" Natalie stammered just before she puked up in front of her, making me take a step away from her. She stopped and gulped. "V-Veronica..." Natalie spoke weakly, along with another waterfall of the lightish brown liquid gushing out of her mouth. "n...next time, let...let us turn before you do that."

Veronica walked up to us, holding out the head in arms length. "Well, I have to make a quick, clean cut if we need to detach the head from the rest of the body. Takes a long time just by slicing it inch by inch." She turned to Natalie. "And I warned you about it, Natalie. Believe me, I've seen the Legion slice off the heads of innocent lives just by using a machete. But, enough about that." She handed me the intact head.

"Th-Thanks..." I felt myself shaken up just by placing my palms on the cold skin of an actual head of a dead Fiend. "But, how am I going to carry this without a bag!?" I noticed the corner of my a large sack slumping near a metal shelf. "There! A sack over by the compound."

Duster was already two seconds ahead of me. He ran over to the compounds of the small Fiend refuge and obtained the sack, dumping out the little contents it was in. "Got ya covered!" He yelled, holding up the empty sack while walking back to the group. "Figure a lil' sack shall carry those heads 'til we give 'em to your collector." He opened the top part of the sack wide for me to put the head inside. "Now, Violet's refuge is not far from here. Better watch fer her hounds. Bugger's got teeth tha'll rip yer skin to the' bone. I know, I wrestled one o' her dog's where she only scrape a chunk o' skin off my knee. Follow me." Duster went out running to the left of us.

We kept our pace behind Duster when we reached a road not too far from us. Ahead was another gas station with some brownish-green fumes wafting up in the middle of it. "Say, what's up with the fumes near that gas station?" As soon as we got near it, I heard some ticking noises coming from my Pip Boy. I eyed it, noticing a small circle with a little arrow wiggling a bit. "And why is my Pip Boy ticking?"

"Ah, that Geiger counter." Veronica spoke. "It tells you about the radiation you are exposing to. Too much radiation exposure will kill you instantly. And those fumes there near the gas station are the radiation. I noticed a few barrels in some little puddles of that substance."

"Righty-o!" Duster replied. "And there is Violet's refuge up ahead. An' I hear hounds barkin' towards us!" Duster pulled out his brass knuckles out of his trench coat pocket and slide them through his fingers. A pack of dogs came out through the entrance of the small Fiend area surrounded by long, cylindrical looking homes. Duster pulled one arm back and strikes his spiked hand weapon at the dog just as soon as it lunged forward with its jaw opened. "Take that, y'all varmint!"

More dogs swarmed on out of the refuge, barking with their paws pushing through the dirt. I kept a hold of my switchblade in my hand and set the sack down behind me. I charged in, shoving the end of the blade in the dog's eye with another dog tackling me down to the ground. "Damn it, damn it!" I grasped the dog's neck while it pushed its head at my face, snapping its drooly, sharp teeth at me. With so much strength from its neck, my arms started giving out bit by bit as they started bending slowly to have the jaws just inches from my nose. What really disgust me is the never ending waterfall of drool dripping down to my face from the stinking mouth of the dog.

"Hang on, Crimson!" Natalie called out, shoving the barrel of her shotgun on the dog's temple and launched one bullet in the cranium. "We got about eight more coming our way!" Natalie kicked the dead dog off of me and pulled me up before giving me the switchblade that is covered with some blood on the blade. "Come on, we need to- YEEEOW! ONE OF THEM GOT MY LEG!" She fell down on the ground as she screamed and jerked around. One of the dogs, actually two of them, had a hold of Natalie's uniform pants with their teeth and tugged her back.

"For the Brotherhood!" Veronica slammed her fist down the caps of the dog's skulls that with so much force it made the heads flat as a pancake. "Two more behind you, Crimson!" Veronica tossed me my switchblade

I nodded and grabbed it, twisting myself with my laser rifle drawn out of the holster. "Leave those to me!" I spoke. One dog leaped forward at me, and with one pull of the trigger the red beam hit the torso with only the body from the neck down disintegrated into ash. "One down, one to go!" I holster my laser rifle, spinned the switchblade to where the blade is facing left on my left hand and stabbed the right jugular vein. The infliction made the dog yelped.

"HURRAHH!" Duster cried, punching a trio of dogs that were gnawing on his upper arm and trenchcoat tail with one he just killed by separating the jaw away from the hinges of the head. "What in tarnation are ya waitin' fer, gals!? Git these confounded hounds off me before I am their next meal!"

"Alright!" I yanked my switchblade out of the dog's throat and shoot it dead before pointing it at Duster and the two latching dogs. Because of the bounty hunter twisting and turning, not to mention staggering to and fro, it it making it hard for me to shoot at the dogs. "C-C-C-C-C-Crap...!" I stammered, feeling my hands shaking the weapon before me.

Duster continued to move, trying to find a way to unhinge the dog's clamping teeth, even with one of them tugging on his coat. "Hurry it up! Canine behind me is usin' me as an ol' tug rope!"

I felt sweat pouring down my face. "I'm trying, but with you moving around so frantically it is hard for me to get a fucking clear shot!"

"Ah, for the' love o' twisting decisions!" Duster brought out his pistol and shot the one on the arm two times on both eyes, and one tugging in the trench coat in between the eyes. He slammed both of them down with the spiked brass knuckles on the head to the ground, making sure they are completely dead. "Good, now that's done, all there's left is Violet."

"Hold it right there!" We turn around to a female Fiend with a shotgun pointed at all of us. "My, my. If it isn't my old partner-in-crime Duster! Still fucking ever women you see? And I thought you are not into foursomes."

Duster lit off another cigarette and puff put a huge smoke. "Naw, Violet. This here 're m' new traveling buddies. No ounce of want'n any bull riding' on any saddle. Just doin' the bounty business as usual." He quickly brought out his pistol, aimed it at Violet. "But I'm afraid I'm gon' have that head of yers, Violet. No sense in a bounty huntin' without m' trophies."

Violet growled. "Trophies!? I am a fucking metal cup on a plaque in your eyes!?" She yelled. "I loved you while you were with us! But after that damn Cook-Cook decided to take your spot, I had to let you go without murdering you. And ever since you've sobered up with those NCR scumbags, you've made a name for yourself and became an enemy of the Fiends."

"Bah..." Duster blew another puff of smoke into the air. "Ev'rybody tried killin' me. Y'all Fiends 're nothin' but a chem junkie, killjoy, murderous assholes. I tried relievin' th' pain from severe case o' loneliness. I'd figure havin' caps in hand after a good huntin' and celebrate by sleepin' with a random mistress would be some remedy. But, that don' fill the' void within me."

"I'll give you a fucking void!" Violet aimed her gun at Duster's head. "I'll fill that void with my vengeance full of lead in y-" Duster shot one bullet right at her trachea, causing her to gasp for air. "Y-You...bastard..." She wheezed before Duster took another shot at her trachea, killing her on the spot. He then walked over to the corpse, while holstering his pistol, and punched Violet's neck for her head to pop off.

"Violet was a deceptive kind o' Fiend." Duster announced, placing Violet's severed head in the sack. "She tried ev'ry way t' make me stay with her, no matter how much I tried t' sneak away. She'd tried t' act all depressive one day, then next dominant, and then possessive. Just when I got captured by 'em NCR folk, I was driven mad due to mass addiction."

Natalie walked up to Duster and placed her hand on his shoulder. "What happened next, Duster?"

Duster slung the sack over his right shoulder and sighed. "NCR gave me nothin' but food and purified water while holdin' me in an isolated room. They ev'n had me on chains so I won't try t' escape. Fer the past half year, I detoxed my way through, the addiction slowly fadin' away. I felt myself anew, figure I change m' ways. So, they released me and I veered m'self to a lil' ranch occupied by bounty hunters. Here I am now, twenty years later.

"And the void Violet mentioned," Veronica spoke. "what does she mean by that?"

Duster took another puff from his cigarette. "Loneliness, m' parents were never around nor takin' care o' me in the younger years. I'd figure overdosin' m'self would rid me from it, but none worked. But since I've been in the business, I learned to love life ev'n better, with some smokin', slight binge drinkin' an' hooker hoppin'. Well, now we got two Fiend heads, we better search fer Nephi. An' he is just footsteps from Vault 3."

"Or maybe he's behind you!" Our attention got averted to a hoard of Fiends behind us with their guns pointed at us. One of them, in the middle, stood out, carrying some metal rod with some ovalish shape thing with lines on the front. That must be the driver iron Dhatri talked about. "Hmph, such a shame your four somehow got caught in a mess we Fiends have to clean up, and we are definitely going to need those heads back."

I was about to blurt a threat at the Fiends, but Natalie already intercepted with her weapon already in hand. "No way, Fiends!" She held her shotgun at her foes. "We will not easily hand the heads over to your grimey hands. Now move over so we can obtain Nephi's head!"

The Fiend in front of us laugh, causing a wave of confusion on our side. "You are really dumb as shit! I am Nephi, Driver Nephi." The Fiend in the middle stepped forward, having the iron on his shoulders with his hands grasping it on each end. "Look, you four are never going to get my head. If I were to be pissed off, I'd actually swing my golf club on your heads and detach them out of your necks. But since I am in a good mood, I can let you off on a warning. Now, kindly hand over the heads and you four can mosey on elsewhere."

I mashed my teeth together and growled. "Yeah, like we would ever trust as calm Fiend like you." But then I noticed the bag flinged forward to Nephi's hands, most possibly thrown by Duster. Duster came to my side and huffed a puff of smoke. "Why did you do that for!?"

"Crimson..." Duster spoke. "there has come a time where we can trust even the psychopathic ones of the wastes. Besides, the bounty doesn't mean anything to me right about now."

"Good," Driver Nephi picked up the sack from the ground and gave it to the Fiend to his right. "now that an agreement has been settled," just then, something hit everyone that made them fall face first. I was also hit on the back of the head with a blunt object. "I'm afraid we can't let you go freely." His words echoed into my ears. The vision of mine became blurry for I blacked out.

_Damn it! _I thought.

* * *

_"-er Runner would want them?" _the sound of a male voice in the background sort of snapped me out of my 'sleep'. "I swear, we should kill them. They might be a nuisance."

"Let 'em stay there." A female voice was heard as well. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling myself being slumped against some bars on my back. "They can rot in here for all I fucking care. And it looks like they are waking up. Been like three hours since they were knocked out."

_Three hours!? _My eyes widen as I groaned, lifting myself off of the bars before I made my way on my feet, noticing a large, dimly lit area. I noticed Duster, Veronica and Natalie stranding up as well, their face perplexed at the unknown setting we are in. "Where are we?"

"Vault 3, dumbass! Your in our cell we made for people like you!" The female Fiend yelled, holding some rod with electricity sparking at the top end. "Hmm, seems like Nephi is correct. These fucking dumbasses don't know their ass from the hole in the ground. We should let them rot and die. Be better for us if we are going wipe out the NCR soldiers in the camp.

Natalie went to the cell door as quick as possible, grasping on two of the bars. "Dare step one damn foot in the camp or I'll use my shotgun and blow your face off!"

"Umm, I believe they took your weapons while we blacked out." Veronica pointed out. "You know how the villain is, they always take the weapons away from their prisoners so they won't try any way to escape their lair. I read it in a comic book once."

"What's a comic book?" I asked, having my companion's eyed shift towards me.

The Fiend woman grumbled, thrusting the rod at Natalie's torso. The electrical surge from the end of the rod shocked her, thus making her fall down away from the door. "You guys are brahmin shit stupid. If I have the chance, I would use this brahmin prod on your pea brains of yours and fry them into charcoal!" The Fiend brought out her weapon out, almost like my weapon except a little broken n the front, but stopped as several gunshots were heard from the doorway to the left. "Come on, we don't want anyone getting any further in!" The two Fiends ran away from the gate and vanished out of sight through the doorway.

"Sorry, fellers." Duster spoke, sitting on a small chair against the wall. "I fucked up like a guard dog bein' killed by a raider. I shouldn't've trust 'em..."

Veronica placed a hand on her hip. "Well, it is technically your fault for doing so." She seemed so calm unlike me being completely pissed at him for pulling that kind of stunt. "But, here's one thing. At least we are going to rot in this cell together."

"I'm not sure that is a good thing, Veronica." Natalie grunted, holding the inflicted area with her arm. "Who knows when they are going to kill u-"

"GET BACK!" The female Fiend's voice echoed from the doorway, which made all four of us ran to the left part of the cell we are in. Multiple gunshots were heard, along with flashing lights continuously going off for five seconds. Everything went quiet afterwards until we heard the sound of footsteps echoing.

Natalie went right behind me, her shaking vibrated through my shoulder. "W-Who can that be!? One of the Legion!?" She whimpered.

I lowered my eyebrows as I clenched the bars tightly. Because we don't have out weapons, we can't arm ourselves if the stranger turns out to be an enemy. "Just keep your guard up guys. Even if we use our fists, we will defend ourselves to the end!" Everyone, including me, braced themselves as the footsteps grew louder and closer. I noticed the shadow casting off on the wall near the doorway, and the barrel of a gun appearing.

"I'd like to have my beret back." A familiar voice made me froze in place. My breathing increased at a tenfold as the person walked through the doorway with the sniper rifle in his hands. My eyes widen, my hands shake uncontrollably. I don't know if this is a dream or a figment of my imagination. His cold, hard eyes glare right at us, silencing us on the spot.

_C...Craig!? _I thought to myself before I fainted.

* * *

**_((DEEPEST apologies everyone for my delayed update. Apparently a bunch of things like chores, work, and taking care of a little one had me put to a halt on this chapter. But I will make sure to keep going with story._**

**_Also, FALLOUT 4 FALLOUT 4 FALLOUT 4 FALLOUT 4! THE HYPE IS REAL! Sorry, had to do that. But I am trying my best to save up for an XBox One and Fallout 4 once it released on whatever date Bethesda announces in E3. Can't wait for it, and see you on the next chapter! -CS)) _**


	27. Chapter 26 - Unexpected Reunion

_**-Bounty Killer-**_

_Could...Could I be dreaming!? _I thought to myself, slowly opening my eyes after I unexpectedly fainted from what appears to be Craig that entered the large room in Vault 3, which me, Natalie, Veronica, and Duster is held captive in a cell from a Fiend ambush. I notice that I am sitting on the same small chair Duster sat on minutes ago. I looked up at the three in front of me. "Hey..." I weakly said.

Veronica smiled slightly. "Nice of you to wake up in our dire need of escape. You're just in time to sing some old western music while we rot in here." She a started giggle, though her little joke didn't amuse me one bit.

Natalie nudged Veronica. "This is no time to be joking around. Crimson really hit her head hard on the floor. She needs to settle down for a minute or two while we wait for him to get back." She turned to me. "I wish I can give you something to heal you a lot quicker, but I don't got any Stimpaks on me. Other than that, it's the first time I actually see you faint."

Duster nodded. "Y' darn right. Never knew someone like you t' faint like that." Duster spoke, then turned to Veronica and Natalie. "So, that th' sniper she was chatterin' about. Don' want t' get near him because of 'em cold eyes. I'm afraid e'll implant a bullet in m' head."

My eyes widen. _It's not a dream!? _I stood up quickly and eyed my friends. "That was Craig!?" I yelled. "Where is he!? Is he here!?" I swiftly scanned the large area beyond the cell bars. But the dizziness got the best of me, making me lean against the wall behind me. "Shit..." My voice is slurred as I placed both of my hands on Craig's beret on my head.

"Whoa, don' git so flustered like a quick skitterin' Cazadore." Duster suggested. "Y' just got out of bein' blacked out from just eyin' 'im. Why so surprised?" Gun shots were heard in a different area. "All he's doin' is gettin' a key for this here cell door. Ev'n his weapons is no match for a rusted ol' key hole."

I huffed continuously, then a chuckle escaped my throat. "Oh god..." I laughed and laughed until the laughter turned into a relieving sob. Multitudes of tears streamed down my closed eyelids as my legs gave out, making me drop to my knees. I kept crying until the sound of the cell door opened, making me look up and noticed everyone eyeing Craig and his new attire consist of a one-sleeved, jet black leather jacket and gray pants- one pants leg being out while the other is in a brown and gray boot with spikes on the soles. There is also some plated armor over the top torso, two belts on the waist, and gray gloves with some brown straps wrapped all over.

"You three, go get your weapons," Craig spoke, my heart beating rapidly. "I need to speak with Crimson." He glared at them coldly, making them silently run past him and out of the cell. His stern, green irises glared directly at me, making me gasp. He slowly moved his arm back towards the weapon on his hip, and with one quick movement, I flinched and closed my eyes shut.

I whimpered with my arms up over my face hoping to expect hit machete to slice my face, but nothing happened. "Huh?" I opened my eyes and slowly lowered my arms to see Craig holding my hunting knife, clean and reflecting my face on one side. My right arm shook when I extend it forward to retrieve my weapon from his hand. I was expecting something bad to happen from him, but I carefully took my knife off of his hand with nothing coming at me. "Th...Thanks..." My voice is all shaken up from seeing Craig.

"My beret, please..." He spoke, his palm opened for me to give him his 1st Recon beret.

I nodded as I stood up and sheathing my knife in its sheath. "Sorry...I had to keep it on me just in case..." I trailed off after glaring at Craig's unpleased expression. "Sorry..." I took the beret off of my messy, red hair and placed it on his hand.

Craig didn't say anything while he placed his beret on his shaved head before fixing his gaze at me. But, his expression is different from his usual, unpleasant facade. This time, it's more relaxed and worrisome. I wish I can just place my hand gingerly on his broad face, but I'm afraid he would change to the bitter person he usually is. "Crimson..." He spoke my name, having the heat formed all over my cheeks. I notice his right arm moving up.

"We got our weapons!" Natalie spoke as she, Veronica and Duster appeared through the door on the left just before I was about to say something to Craig. Just as soon as Natalie is near the doorway, she tripped on something and bumped into Craig, making move forward towards me.

"WAH!" I yelled, pulling my forearms over my face to protect myself, only to be stop to feel Craig's well built arms unexpectedly around me. I froze in place, feeling my jaw tightened and my heart rapidly beat against my chest. Craig backed himself a little, still maintaining his arms around me...in an awkward sort of way. The urge didn't last long within me, and from instinct, I shoved Craig away from me.

Craig stumbled back, only to be caught by the three behind him. He looked at me, bewildered at my little course of action. "What that fuck was that all about, Crimson!" He voice echoed in the large area.

My face turn a different shade of red as I grunted. "S-Sorry! I had to do it! The feeling was really awkward, it made me really uncomfortable!"

"Well, you should've fucking said something instead of pushing me just because of that!" Craig suggested. He stood back up on his feet. "Damn, you're still your usual self even before I got shoved into that monorail. I figured because of that stunt, you would be different. But, obviously that didn't w-"

"Shut up, Craig!" I interrupted him, making him shut up. "What I wanted to know is how you fucking survive that blast!? With that high of a blast from that bomb Curtis implanted in the vent, it should've killed you right then and there!"

"Yeah, that's what I am wondering, too." Natalie spoke.

Craig growled and crossed his arms against his chest. "Drill Sergeants don't teach us basic training in survival for nothing. They even taught us how to use an enemy's corpse to shield ourselves from a blast of a bomb." He eyed me, maintaining his signature glare. "I used your knife and beheaded Curtis moments after he shoved me into the monorail. I knew time was of the essence, so when the time was right, the blast occurred and I used his dead corpse to support my fall on the front half of the train before it hit the ground below. Of course, it was too dark outside to see me out there."

"But, how come it took you this long to find us?" Veronica spoke next, walking to the space near me. "I mean, I'm sure you would've find us after you survived that fall. And how did you manage to obtain your rifle from the camp?"

"The soldiers took me into one of the homes to patch me up a bit." Craig answered. "They even gave me this reinforced leather armor, since there isn't any NCR uniforms they can offer me and that my previous attire ripped up from Curtis trying to slice me with Crimson's hunting knife. One of the veterans retrieved the rifle for me while I healed up." He huffed sharply, turning around and walking out of the barricaded area. "But enough talk, we need to kill off the Fiends in this damn vault and find any useful items we can get before we leave."

Veronica walked over to me and waved. "I'll be with Crimson this time. I have yet to get to know her since we've met at the 188. Maybe I can teach her a few punching maneuvers." She held up on fist into the air.

Craig let put a warning groan. "We are not going to be separated for this. There are too many god damn Fiends in here that are mad with chem abuse, just a group of them will kill you in an instant. We are all in this together as a unit as instructed by General Hsu for our punishment. We must stick together and watch each other's backs." He took out his machete from his sheath. "Now let's move."

"Now, hol' on there, sir." Duster's voice rose up. He walked forward until he is feet from Craig, who doesn't seem to look too happy. "We can't just mosey on around not knowin' what lurks beyond th' vault. Should we just do a lil' reconnaissance first?"

Craig glared at him, his eyebrows pushed down as a sign that he is perplexed. "And who the fuck are you?"

"I go by th' name Duster." He introduced himself. "Bounty hunter, ex-Fiend, ex-chem addict, expert gunslinger in the wastes. I was invited by these women in need of obtainin' bounties for their officer, hopin' t' show my worth fer 'em."

Craig went silent as he put his machete back in the sheath. His eyes shifted towards my direction, making me flinch a bit. "Excuse us for one second..." He walked over to me and grabbed my right arm, yanking me out of the cell room and to the doorway to the left. As soon as we are behind the wall, not within sight of Natalie, Veronica and Duster, Craig grabbed the upper part of my trench coat and slammed me against the wall. _"Are you fucking out of your damn mind, Crimson!?" _ He whispered angrily, only for me to hear. _"You decided to replace me with some fucking stranger out of nowhere!?"_

_"Replacing you!? What you come up with that! He helped us along the way when we were being cornered by Fiends near their territory!" _I replied, whispering back to him. _"Besides, why is it always me you wanted to bicker and bra-"_

_"Shut up!" _Craig interrupted me, pushing me harder on the wall with himself just inches from me. _"Give me one good fucking reason why he should come along with us before I clean his head off his shoulders with my rifle."_

I growled at him. _"His swift movements with his pistol is pretty quick, his punches are strong and deadly with a pair of spiked brass knuckles." _I looked towards the left, feeling disgusted on what I'm about to say. _"But you did hear that he use to be part of the Fiends until he sobered up from the massive chems in him. Not to mention he likes to sleep with random women, and he fucking frisk his hand against my ass, supposedly saying he tripped o-" _I felt Craig releasing his grip from my trench coat, glaring at me with his eyes widen and teeth grinding.

"That bastard..." He growled, briskly walked away and through the doorway, with me keeping up behind him, to Duster. He grabbed Duster's upper trench coat and slammed him against the cell bars, making them shake and clatter from the impact. "You fucking touched her!?" His loud voice bounced off the walls in the room along with his continuous, angered breathing.

"Whoa, put m' down!" Duster tried to pull Craig's hands off of his trench coat, but the sniper's strength outmatched his by a long shot. "L-Lookie 'ere. I can explain! It was an accident. I told her I tripped over a confounded rock while sneakin' our way past Cook-Cook's refuge. M' hand sorta stroked her toosh when it happened." By the look of Craig's posture, he's not buying it one bit.

"Hey, I hear voices in the prison area!" A voice caught my attention from behind a small desk as the metal door opened to several Fiends running through with their weapons point at us. The female Fiend holding a small gun at us walked forward. "Stay fucking still you ass wipes, it'll make your death less painful!"

I froze in place along with everyone around me, the fear in my eyes fixated on the enemies with the pitch black barrels pointed at our heads. _Great, now what are we going to do? _I thought.

"Ey, sniper." Duster spoke. "Can ya let go o' me? I need t' tighten up m' boot laces. Don' wanna die with me flyin' outta th' soles of m' dusted shoes." I looked at the corner of my eyes to see Craig still having his grip on Duster's trench coat. I don't think Craig is going to release Duster anytime soon after what I told him.

"Take one fucking twitch and we won't hesitate to put bullets and lasers in your bodies." The female Fiend threatened. "Now, why don't you be fucking good prisoners and go back into the little room before I count to three! One..." She counted. "Two..." Multiple clicked were heard, possibly from the Fiends pulling the hammer back. "Th-"

"Duck an' cover!" I heard Duster yelled, seeing three small objects being thrown at the Fiends. Natalie and Veronica turned away while I happened to be tackled down to the floor. A few seconds later, three explosions were heard from where the Fiends are positioned, and all is quiet.

I felt someone lifting up off of me slightly. "You okay?"

I froze again, my torso tensed up by the sound of Craig's voice. "G-G-G-Get off me!" I stammered, feeling myself shake uncontrollably from the uncomfortable sensation just by the thought of him being on me. I didn't hear Craig saying anything other that having his whole self off of me. I really don't want to relive that situation again. I used my arms and pushed myself back to my feet, seeing Craig walking over to the piles of lifeless Fiend bodies in front of us.

Craig grabbed some boxes of ammo that read '.308' on the front and put it in his pocket. "You got some fucking nerve the throw a few frag grenades at them without warning us." He turned around, glaring at Duster.

Duster sighed, dropping a few metal looking pins on the floor. "What, an' blow m' cover so those accursed Fiends can make us target practice!? I'd figure surprisin' 'em would work." He lit another cigarette, blowing a cloud out of his lips. "Yep, I'm a genius in m' handy work."

"Genius?" Veronica spoke up, calmly as usual. "Like hulk said, you should've warned us ahead of time. Who knows if any of those dirt bag Fiends would toss the grenades back at us? We don't got anything to protect us from a blast that strong to kill us."

"But I saw 1st Recon protecting Crimson!" Natalie whined. "That's no fair! I wish I had a 1st Recon protecting!" Natalie ran up to Craig, wrapping her arms around his torso. "Maybe he can shield me from those Fiends the next time we see them. Please!?"

Craig shoved Natalie away from him, making her release her hold with ease. "What good of a soldier like you if you don't protect yourself, Boots?" He grabbed his rifle from his holster and reloaded some bullets into it. "Besides, Crimson was the closest person near me to protect her from the blast. So don't say that she is special or anything, because she's not!"

_Ouch... _I thought smugly. I noticed my laser rifle to the left from the corner of me eye. "Well, good thing we g-" I went to grab it, only to see parts of the weapon having huge cracks on it. "What the fuck happened to my laser rifle!?" I yelled, grabbing it to show everyone.

Natalie was the first to show an apologetic expression as she scratched her neck below her 1st Recon beret. "Sorry, Crimson. That's my fault. I sorta...twisted my ankle and fell on the floor with that below me. I guess the impact of my weight must've caused that."

Veronica giggled and walked to me. "That don't look _too _bad. Believe me, I've seen Paladins with laser rifles in the most worse condition than this. But if you were to find more of these, you can repair them. I'll teach you how since I brought myself some tools in case my Power Fist is broken." She held up her left arm, showing a bulky, mechanical device on her hand and forearm. "But I can only repair certain things like this, you laser rifle, and laser pistol."

"Well, since we're here, might as well find stuff while we are at it." I said, holstering my laser rifle behind me. "As Craig said, we should stick together in case any Fiends decide to attack us from behind. Plus, maybe stock up on whatever supplies. Let's start with that door behind the desk over there." I pointed to the direction ahead of me.

"Don' worry, Crimson." Duster said, resting his arm against my right shoulder with his pistol twirling on his right middle finger. "I'm sure a lil' cleanin' in this vault will be a b-" something hit the side of Duster's head, like a tin can. Duster lift his arm off of my shoulder. "Ey! What was that fer, anyway!?"

"Don't fucking touch her with those disgusting arms of yours!" Craig growled through his teeth. "In fact, don't touch anyone! Who knows what you contracted after sleeping with unknown women Crimson told me. Let's go!" He took his machete out and walked to the door behind the desk.

Duster sighed, placing his pistol back in his side holster. "Let's git on with the scavengin', Crimson. I hate t' 'ave yer boyfriend choppin' me t' bits o' meat." He ran up to both Veronica and Natalie over to the doorway.

I folded my arms across my chest and growled. "He's not my boyfriend..." I sighed, running forward to catch up to everyone. Just as soon as I got through the doorway, I heard some gunshots going off ahead of me through the hallway. I wanted to join in when I brought my laser rifle out, but apparently everything died down quickly. "So much for teamwork..." I mumbled, holstering my weapon as soon as I see everyone else walking back to me.

"Well, it wasn't that much of a hoard of Fiends." Natalie said. "I would've expect a challenge, but all they had were pool cues and lead pipes. But, on the much more importanrt note, I notice these four rooms have some cabinets and desks in them. One should probably guard the hallway while the rest of us venture in to grab anything useful or us to use."

"I'll guard the hallway." Craig suggested. "I doubt any of you have a good eye to spot any hostile targets from afar."

Veronica laughed, assume it might be a joke to her. "Well, why are we standing and hearing the hulk insulting us when we should be scavenging for stuff! Last one to find a Stimpak is an ugly Nightkin!" She ran to the room to the left.

Natalie laughed. "Oh, no you don't, Brotherhood!" She went to the room to the right of her.

I eyed Duster, who nodded at me, before walking over to the room behind him. "Good luck everyone!" I yelled, walking to the room closest to me on the left. I examined the small area with a a couple of lockers, a desk, and a counter with stuff on top. "Hmm," I walked over to the table against the wall. "I wonder if any of these things can be proven useful along the way." I opened up a small, while box with a red sign in the middle, showing a few stimpaks and other stuff in it. When I took one of the Stimpaks, I heard the door close behind me and clicked. "What the f-" I turned around, knowing that the door is lock only to see Craig walking to me. "Why did you do that!? And should you be guarding the hal-"

Craig placed a hand over my loud mouth. "Shut up! There is a reason why I did that." All went silent for a second before Craig, making myself shocked that he did that, quickly wrapping his arms around my neck tightly.

I feel like a petrified statue because of that. A swarm of questions buzzed around my head like bloatflies over a brahmin carcass. "Craig!?" I murmured, only to hear dead silence from him. I am highly confused about this situation.


	28. Chapter 27 - Friends

_**-Bounty Killer Pt. 2-**_

My mind started to become a little fuzzy bit by bit as I stand in one place, petrified inside Craig's tightened, strong arms around my neck. I feel dissolution as to why my sniper companion decided to close and lock the door just so he can hold me. But not only that, why would a _married _man ever think of doing this!? "C-Craig?" I spoke, trying to break away from his hold, but to no avail once I attempt it. "Craig, let go of me!" I jerked around his tight arms, assumed that would do the trick.

It didn't, it only made his arms tightened around me. "Stop fucking moving, can't you tell I am showing you some gratitude!?" Craig announced to me.

"Gratitude!?" I repeated, slipping my hands on his torso and struggled to shove him off of me. "Get off of me!" I yelled, using every bit of my strength to push him off of me. After I got him off, my whole mind is swirling with confusion. "Okay, stop for just one fucking moment! This is starting to get really annoying just because the both of are alone in different occasions, but this!? What is the sole reason to hug me out of gratitude!?"

Craig glared at me in silence, crossing his arms over his chest. "I don't have to tell you why, Crimson. It's best if you figure it out for yourself, no hints or anything." There we go, he has gone back to his usual self.

I got irritated quick. "Well, seems like the royal bitterness has arrived back to fucking chew my ass out!" I spat at him. "Craig, why would you- a married man of some sort- would hug someone like me!? And just because I have amnesia doesn't fucking mean you have to take advantage over me!"

His expression changed instantly into more of an irritated form. "I am not taking advantage over you due to your condition, and this has nothing to do with relationships, Crimson!" Craig barked. "I only did that to say thank you, and that's that. And it is not my job to tell you why. If you got a fucking problem, just say it!"

"Yeah, I _do_ got a fucking problem!" I barked back, balling my hands into tight fists. "We are just a couple of companions on a simple mission ordered by Dhatri as Hsu's punishment for Natalie's disobedience to obtain three bounties. Instead, you just decided to waltz in after nearly a morning of not seeing you and hugged me without telling me a reason! Why should I trust you if you keep on hiding away so many stuff from me even if I ask you! Why?"

Craig flinched, showing his infuriating teeth at me. "Fine!" He spoke through his teeth. "If that's what you wish, I don't think there is also a reason to trust you at all! From now on, you're on your own!" He turned around and stomped his way to the door and unlocked it.

"Good!" I yelled. "Don't expect me to yell for your help if any Fiends decide to decapitate me! I'll ask someone else!" Craig already disappeared to the left through the doorway. I growled furiously, turned around and slammed my fist down on the counter in front of me, making their stuff on it jump or falling off of the edge. "Damn it..." I grumbled to myself. I eyed the opened box with the three Stimpaks and took them all along with some bobby pins, some stuff called Rad Away, and purified water. I noticed a small sack with two straps on it to the right of me. I grabbed it, put all the stuff in it and put it on my back before walking out the doorway. I noticed everyone else waiting for me, except Craig, who is not looking at my direction.

Duster has a hold of some food, mainly meat in plastic wrapping, in his arms along with a sack in his hand. "Figures since all of us will be out fer a while, I found some food fer us t' eat. I got a bale full o' recipes in m' noggin that would fill ya up t' the brim!" One by one, he placed all of their food into the sack.

"I found some scrap metal, a wrench, hammer, and a few other tools." Veronica said, carrying some metal tin with a handle on top. "Can't go wrong with some tools to fix up something!"

"I got some small weapons, ammo, and some snacks!" Natalie tossed me a small net full of the red, round food, I think Veronica calls them apples. "I figured since you love apples, I can give you a few to munch on. What do you g-" She turned to Craig and stopped, her expression dropped. "Uhh, did I miss something?" Natalie turned to me. "I could've sworn I heard you and Craig arguing about something."

I growled and turned away. "Let's just go, guys. We really need to get out of this place." I walked without looking back at them with my stuff in hand. I went through the doorway and past the desk, looking at the opening across from me to the left. I ran to that direction, still grasping on the bag of apples in my hand, and turned left up the stairs. I got to the top, seeing the bathroom in front if me and a closed door to my right. I walked over to their door and stopped a foot from it.

Several footsteps we heard from behind me, followed by some panting. "Crimson..." Natalie spoke, hearing her panting loudly. "Can you at least wait for us!? We all can't run as fast as you!"

"I bet this might be the way out of here." I spoke, raising my hand to the door to opened it.

"How d'ya know that door'll be a ticket out?" Duster spoke, hearing him walk up to my side. "Maybe it might lead us t' a different route 'r some'in." He pressed the button to make the door opened, hearing some beeping noises coming from our feet. "Shit!" Duster shoved me back before the object exploded, making Duster yell and fall on his back. "Fuck, my ankle!"

I still maintain my balance on my feet, then ran forward to Duster. "You okay!?" I shrieked, overwhelmed from the impact the object on the floor did to him. "Can you stand?"

Duster smirked and sat up. "Ey, I've 'andled much more impact that some simple frag mine! It'll take more 'an that t' break these ol' bones!" He got up and grabbed his sack beside him, wincing a bit. "Darn mine musta dislocated m' ankle in two places. We better keep an eye our surroundin's, ne'er knew what stuff might hide in th' shadows."

"Why waste you time talking to an oblivious idiot?" Craig spoke, walking past me and Duster, much to my aggravated mood. "If you think she might be as smart as she can be, your sadly mistaken." He kept walking forward and turned left, but tripped over something. "Damn steps..."

I lowered my eyebrows and briskly walked to him. "You were saying about being oblivious?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest. "Obviously, it shows you missed the steps..."

Craig let out a groan and stood up, giving me a repugnant glare. "Shut the fuck up, no one asked for your damn opinion." He went to take a step forward, but some tapping noises echoed from atop the flight of stairs. An object hopped down and tumbled over to the wall. "Grenades!? Watch out!" Craig shoved me away, but now I flew about a few feet away from him and fell on my back. A loud explosion was heard, along with a thump.

"1st Recon!" Natalie yelled, making me pull myself up to a sitting position.

I noticed Craig is up against the left wall, sitting down and holding his right arm as he grunt. "Damn it! I think my arm popped right off of its socket just when I slammed onto the wall." He yelled, continued to groan and holding his arm, having his head down.

"Craig!" I got up as quick as I can and ran to him. I got in front of him, kneeling down to one knee to see him. I gently placed my left hand on his injured arm, only have it swat away afterwards. I gasped, eying him in dismay.

Craig placed his left hand back on his dislocated arm. "I don't need your help, nor anyone else's!" He growled. "I rather endure this injury than to let anyone touch me with their fucking murderous hands!" He tried getting up by pushing his left hand against the wall, but it quickly went back on his right arm. "Aurgh..."

I don't want his aversions to get the best of me. "Whether you fucking like it or not Craig, I will help out anyone in need!" I reached for the cloth that was wrapped around my arm, from the time Craig covered the scratch marks from the feral ghoul at the REPCONN Test Site days ago, and untied it. Unraveling it and showing my healed scars, I took two ends on the long cloth and double knotted it, tight enough so it won't slip apart. "Don't you fucking move or say anything about it!" I propped the knot part of the cloth on his left shoulder while gently sliding the sling under his forearm, having him wince for a second. I got up and walked towards the stairs.

"Crimson, wait up!" Natalie yelled. "We are suppose to do this together! What happened between both you and Craig that made you two become so angry at each other? Aren't you two close?"

"Fucking drop it, Natalie!" I yelled at her, turning to see her frightened posture beside Veronica at the foot of the stairs. "Me and Craig are not close. We are never close! He and I are just only companions with differences that make us push away. He's married to someone, he rather be isolated and keep things to himself!" I turned back to the door. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get out of this damn hellhole!" I walked to the door and opened it with a push of the button.

"Crimson," Duster spoke from the foot of the stairs. "look, I know you an' 'im haven't 'clicked', but at least ya'll two are friends, right?"

I huffed in protest. "How can he be my friend if he doesn't trust me with everything he is hiding..." I walked forward, aiming my laser rifle at the round object on a string and shot it, making it explode from afar. I walked forward and up there next flight of stairs, seeing a round object on the floor before taking another shot to detonate it.

"Crimson, can you please wait for a second?" Veronica spoke, some footsteps echoing behind me. "I think there needs to be some explaining t-"

"There is nothing to explain, Veronica." I interrupted her. "Leave me alone and let me lead."

"Crimson," Duster spoke next. "it's serious! Trust us!"

I growled loudly, stopping just halfway in the hallway. "I don't think there is ever going to be any trust with anyone. What's the fucking point!?" I took a step forward, but felt something grasped my left wrist. I clenched my right fist, readied to punch whoever grabbed me. "I told you to leave me alo-" I went to punch the person, but to stop midway after seeing Craig with his left hand grasping my wrist.

"Why don't you stop being a rushy bitch and listen to your comrades in arms!" He said. "We are in this together, and we are going to stick together until this all ends. Stay with us, or the next thing that is going to happen will be far more worse than a damn dislocated arm."

I glared directly at his green rings in his eyes. "What makes you think I can trust you, Craig?"

All is silent in the small hallway, even Craig is a little speechless after my statement. "Can't believe I am saying this..." I heard him mumbled as clear as a bell. "Because you're my friend, Crimson. And friends stick together, even in the most dangerous situations."

I stiffened, whether I should feel astonished or disillusion by the choice of vocabulary Craig said. But, all I can really feel is a wave of apprehension within my subconscious mind. Torn, and assumed that it is a ruse just to make me feel better, I snatched my hand away from his grasp and turned to the door. "Let's just go..." I walked over to the door and opened it.

"How the hell did you get in here!?" Someone, looking like some ranger, is sitting on the floor eyeing me. "And who the hell are you?"

"Wait," Natalie ran to my side to see the ranger. "are you the NCR soldier being held captive from what General Hsu told us, Crimson?"

"General Hsu?" The ranger said. "He sent you two here!? This was suppose to be my mission to take out Motor-Runner on my own! And I am not an NCR soldier. I am Ranger Bryce Anders. It's dangerous to take on the Fiends leader if it's just you two."

I lowered my eyebrows. "Actually, Hsu sent the _four _of us along with a bounty hunter" as soon as I said that, Craig, and Veronica, who is holding Duster up as a crutch, appeared beside Natalie. "to find you. He is pretty concerned about you, and said you missed your check-in."

Ranger Anders doesn't look too satisfied with the little rescue mission battalion. "You can go tell old Hsu back at the camp that this mission of mine will be completed. I just need a couple of more days, and something to fix up my leg."

"Well," Veronica spoke. "I'm afraid to see your leg in a worst possible condition as it is right now. What makes you think you can take on the leader with a broken leg?"

"Look, kids!" Anders hissed. "I killed a dozen of those degenerates sneaking my way in...though one got a drop on me. Well, I got holed up here after I killed one of them. They're too stupid to unlock the doors, so I figure they know whoever attacked had just taken off." He looked away from us. "I just need two more days in here before I take out Motor-Runner. I even got the Maintenance Wing key." He showed us a small, silver key. "The situation is under control."

"Under control?" Craig repeated what Anders said. "Apparently the five of us handled most of the mission _as a battalion. _We are under direct orders from Hsu himself to retrieve you and kill off the Fiend leader as punishment for new recruit Sanders's" Natalie waved when he said that. "disobedience in letting civilians cross the lines of NCR affairs. And by the look of your leg, you don't stand a fucking chance."

Anders tried his best to stand up, though his agonizing groans indicated that the injured leg of his is too great. "Don't stand a fucking chance!?" He spat at the words as he limped his way to Craig. "Just who do you think you fucking are to say that with that prideful 1st Recon beret on your head like you are one of the NCR!?"

"Former NCR, 1st Recon Craig Boone." He introduced himself, in a provoked tone. "If you said you've killed a dozen of those Fiends, I've killed a lot more than you can shake your gun at. Believe me, I'm not with this group of people by choice. It was my decision to join a courier to wander the wastes." He is referring to me. "Actually...my friend." That word made me flinch.

Anders chuckled sarcastically. "So, a prideful and honorable 1st Recon stooping down the levels of traveling with civilians? Even a lowly courier you considered to be your friend!? I feel sorry for having them put a short leash on you and do whatever they say." He sneered wickedly. "Why don't you leave this mission to the big guys."

I got irritated real quick by his sarcastic remark. I stepped in to the left of him and glared at him with fury flaring in my blue irises, having the ranger eyeing me. "You're all big and talk about handling something dangerous with a brave tone, but yet you haven't shown how much of a coward you are because of your injured leg."

"I'll show you a fucking coward, bitch!" Anders went to take his knife out of his sheath, but something else made him stop in his tracks. "The fuck!?" He yelled, freezing on the spot by Craig's machete up against the right side of Anders's neck. His eyes moved, but not his head, to see Craig. "You got some fucking nerve placing the blade part of your weapon on my neck."

"Don't you even fucking dare implant a bullet in her!" Craig is holding his machete with his good, left arm. "She's right, honestly. The words you chose sure show how brave you are, but the actions you do reflects on the true outcome towards a person, showing your true colors."

I agreed with a nod. "Yes, just with you along with an nearly immobilized leg, taking on Motor-Runner on your own won't be so easy. Please, let the five of us handle the rest of the Fiends and the leader in this vault. The way to Camp McCarren is clear away of the Fiends, and there should be a couple of NCR soldiers near the border line to escort you there."

"Heh heh..." Duster chuckled weakly. "Sure is a good thing yer ankle ain't blown up nearly outta its socket from a frag mine. At least ya git t' limp away without a crutch."

Anders eyed all of us, placing his weapon back in his holster. "I guess you guys are right. Just with a crippled leg won't do me any good without any serious medical attention. Here," he handed Craig the small key. "I think the five of you can do a better job on taking out Motor-Runner as a battalion than just me alone. I'll go report to Hsu right away. Good luck, everyone." He limped over to a control panel and pushed a button, making the wall rise up to what appears to be the vault entrance. He continued forward, disappearing within seconds after hearing a metal brining sound coming from the door.

Everything went dead silent for a while. "So, a 'friend', huh?" I turned to Craig. "I bet you really did lie to him just so the five of us can handle the leader on our own. Smooth..." I sarcastically said.

"I'm not joking, Crimson." Craig said, straightforward. "I am telling the truth."

I blew a raspberry through my closed lips to the side. I don't buy it one bit. "Uh-huh. Let me know how that turns out for you once you decide to fucking chew my ass out like every other day for the past week."

Craig's eyes widen. "You don't believe me!? Crimson, I am telling the truth. Or it is probably obvious that you still don't trust me because your mind is filled with self doubt!"

"I have no fucking clue what you mean by that," my voice echoed and bounced through the walls. "but the reason I don't trust you is because you keep on hiding stuff away from me! What's the point of being a 'friend'" I air quoted the word. "if you don't open up!?"

"This is starting to get out of hand..." I heard Natalie murmuring to Veronica and Duster. I saw both Duster and Veronica nodded from the corner of my eye.

Craig ignored Natalie and kept his eyes locked with mind. "You don't understand, Crimson." His face soften up as he walk to me, stopping just a foot from me. "I am probably one of the toughest person to open up and trust anyone. Of course, it might be because o-"

"Stop right there!" Someone from the opened to the entrance interrupted Craig. Several Fiends with Incinerators and Mini Guns, along with some dogs growling at us, pointed at all of us. "I believe our leader wants to see you fuck stains immediately! And don't you dare try to escape out of this vault, we all have our huge weapons aimed at you if you do."

Veronica, with Duster hanging on her shoulders, walked to me and Craig, with Natalie following them. "Guess the leader is expecting us, huh?"

I gulped a lump in my throat. "I'm afraid so..." Frightened, I eyed at the heavily armed Fiends. _Guess there is no other option... _I thought.


	29. Chapter 28 - Reasons Behind Reasons

_**-Bounty Killer Pt. 3-**_

I felt a sudden chill traveling through my back from the sudden thought of the Fiends shooting or burning us from behind. I turned my head slightly, seeing the enemy's barrel part of their Incinerators or Mini Guns point at us while the five of us are forcibly escorting us deep within Vault 3 to their leader: Motor-Runner. I noticed Craig, to my right with his dislocated arm in a sling that use to be a wrap over my scars, eyeing me for a few seconds. After that little awkward stare, I quickly shift my head back forward. After our little argument several minutes ago, I don't think I can look him in the eye anymore. "How much longer are we going to walk to see your leader?" I spoke, not having to look at them.

"Shut up and keep walking!" One of the female Fiends shouted, echoing through the long hallway. We all reach at the end of the hallway where two more Fiends with guns are standing at the right of the perpendicular hallways. "Turn left!" The female Fiend instructed us.

"Sure is a nice refuge ya Fiends settled in." Duster said as we all turn left through the hallway. Duster has his left arm over Veronica's shoulders due to a dislocated left ankle from a frag mine. "Didn' know yer leader can be in th-"

"Keep your fucking mouth close, ass wipe!" The same female Fiend barked, making Duster quiet. "Now, turn right. There will be a door to Motor-Runner." She instructed us again. The five of us turned right when we reach the end of the hallway, seeing a small, metal door in a tiny pathway. The Fiend next to the door pushed the button to have the door automatically swing open, revealing a Fiend sitting on a chair with spikes behind him. Two dog crouched down and started growling.

The Fiend stood up from the chair and walked up to us. "Down BoneGnash, GnashBone." He spoke, having the dogs cease the growling and lie on their bellies. "So, you are the four scumbags that my clansmen were talking to be about. Kind of a bold move to enter into this territory uninvited, but on the side note, I'm impressed that you guys survived, with little to no bullets or broken bones." He looked slightly to his right, eyes widen instantly and Veronica and Duster. "My, my. What a very familiar face I get to see after all these years."

"Yeah," Duster spoke. "been too long, Motor-Runner. Gettin' tired o' stayin' in one settin' fer too long? I woulda figure I wouldn' git t' see m' ol' boss back in th' day. 'Ow's the chem abuse workin' out in yer brain o' yers?"

Motor-Runner growled. "And how is the right eye of yours after I tried injecting jet in it to kill you!? Obviously them NCR asses must've patched you up and isolated you from all the madness, thus probably having you sobered up." He crossed his arms over his bare chest and smirked. "Plus, I also hear you've taken up the bounty hunting business from one of the Fiends, probably exacting your vengeance on me, Duster." He walked forward, keeping a foot distance from Duster. "Or should I say Eric Scottsdale."

We all gasp and turned to Duster after hearing what is sounds to be his real name. Duster remained unmoved, but pulling his arm off of Veronica's shoulders to stand on his right foot. "Yer lucky I don' fill ya up with m' bullets from ol' Iron Shot just by saying' m' name. You fellers almost killed just because Cook-Cook took m' spot because o' his love of burnin' people fer fun."

The Fiend leader laughed out loud. "That's what we Fiends do. The price for leaving or being disbanded from the Fiends is death, no questions ask. But, on the more important note, why are your friends over here anyway!?"

"We are sent by Colonel Hsu of the NCR to take you out!" Natalie spoke, acting all brave and tough in front of the leader.

Motor-Runner chuckled softly, then revert to a maniacal laughter, making Natalie go behind Duster...or Eric. "You!? A shrimp of the NCR taking me out!? Don't make me fucking laugh! You don't look half as tough to take on me. I've killed both NCR and Fiends alike just to satisfy myself. You are just a mere doll, a little play toy, a tiny side just because it is there. That one NCR behind the red head is worth my challenge!"

"Yer big mouth stinks 'igher than brahmin shit!" Duster spoke. "I've been searchin' all over fer ya fer th' past fifteen years t' meet eye t' eye. Seems like you've settled in 'ere since then, lettin' yer fellow Fiend pawns do all yer dirty work!"

"Pawns..." Motor-Runner repeated sourly. "I never used any of them, they have a mind of their own. Or in fact, all their mind is filled with chems and a killjoy attitude, but what's the sense of controlling if they are already mindless, murderous people." He sighed, shaking his head side to side. The sinister smile returned to his face as soon as he eyed Duster. "Have any luck finding your folks?"

Duster's facial feature grew to a more furious one. "Reason why I join the bounty huntin' business, not just because I want t' change m' ways. I wanted t' find whoever murdered m' parents after the NCR released outta rehab. An' I won' stop 'till I find th' one responsible fer their deaths."

"Your parents?" Me and Natalie said.

"Enough!" Motor-Runner silenced us. "Now, obviously the NCR would want my head in a big, silver plate the moment someone snatches it. I'll wager a deal, Eric." He said, saying Duster's real name again. "How about I give you my head piece in exchange for all of us to leave this vault with no further bloodshed. Then, you can be praised by all of the NCR scumbags and feel proud on how you 'killed' me by your own hands." He took his horned headpiece off and hand it to Duster. "What do you say, Eric?"

Duster- or Eric- eyed the boney headwear Motor-Runner is holding with both hands in silence. "Fine..." He huffed deeply and snatched it out of his hands. "As promised, we'll leave with no bloodshed. Come on, fellers. We better leave." He turned and limped his way towards the door. The four of us followed him.

"Eric," Motor-Runner called, making all of us stop and turned. "I have to say, I'm sorry for your parent's death." The corner of his lips curled to a more darker grinned. "Though I have to say the sound of their agonizing screams are music to my ears when me and a few other Fiends killed them. And their skulls do look great as a decoration for my throne chair after I separate their limbs and skin them!" He started laughing insanely.

We turned to notice the petrified Duster being horror struck from Motor-Runner's doing. A tear fell out of his left eye, his face became a furious one automatically. "You...YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" he yelled out loud, taking out his pistol and aimed the barrel at the Fiend leader's head. With quick reflexes, he shot all of the six bullets on the enemy's face, making it look unrecognizable. "You've deserve a one way trip t' hell..." He begin huffing as the Fiend leaders body fell on its knees then flat on the floor.

"Holy shit..." I heard Craig murmured behind me. I was about to say the same thing he said, but all I am is speechless and surprised Duste- I mean, Eric, took out Motor-Runner by himself.

"You assholes!" We quickly turned to see a few of the Fiends having their big guns pointed at us. "That serves a death penalty for killing our leader!"

"Take cover, ev'ryone! Frag grenade in the hole!" Eric yelled as he held up two grenades in his hand. He pulled the pins off of them and threw it to the Fiends. All we did is cover our faces with our arms just as soon as the explosion occurred. "Come on, we better git a move o- AHH!" He fell down on his ass and hold his left leg. "Dag nabbit! M' ankle is still dislocated!"

Veronica quickly pulled Eric onto his good foot and hoist him up her back, wrapping her arms under his knees. "Hold on to me and that headpiece. We are running out of here!" She said, started running out the doorway.

Natalie, Craig, and I didn't have time to speak in time when she and Eric disappeared. With quick thinking, my mind is all about running away from the Fiends and out of the vault. The three of us pushed our feet to get us started for a sprint past the unconscious Fiends and through the hallways of the Maintenance Wing. "I hear the Fiends ahead of us, even ones getting up behind us! We got to hurry!" Natalie ordered.

"Natalie, Veronica's arms are incapable since she is carrying Duster." I notified her. "Craig's left arm is good for only his machete. So, the both of us can use our guns to shoot at the Fiends from afar while Craig manages the ones near or behind us."

"Good plan!" Craig said behind me. "Melee weapons with my left arm is not my strong suit, but okay." I saw him to my right when he caught up to my pace. "Don't worry, I got your back."

I didn't have to look at him in the eyes to agree with him. I simply nodded just as soon as we made it out of the door and up the stairs. "Veronica, stop at the top of the stairs. We need to find a way out of here."

"Roger that!" Veronica said, reaching to the last step on the second level as she wait for me, Natalie and Craig to catch up to her. We stop all stopped near Veronica with Duster. I'm surprised the weight of our fellow bounty hunter didn't tire her out.

Craig walked past us and turned around. "It's up this next flight of stairs. I'll lead the way to the exit. Crimson, Boots. You two need to gun down any Fiends in the way of our escape. I'll make sure to open the vault door for all of us to exit. Brotherhood, keep him on your back and don't let him fall."

"Got it!" All us nodded, following Craig up the stairs. Two Fiends with small guns aimed at us, but Craig manage to decapitate one of the on the left. Natalie aimed her gun at the second Fiend, taking just a couple of shots on the Fiends gun, making it break into pieces. "Take this!" I yelled, pulling the trigger back to launch a red beam on the Fiends chest. The beam shot right through the enemy, causing her to collapse down the flight of stairs.

I hear some bringing metal noises echoing through the enclosed hallways once we all reach towards the top of the second flight of stairs. "Is that the vault's entrance!?" I spoke. We took a hard right through the long hallway to follow the sound of the entrance. We took another right and noticed a small door to the left of us. When we got through, the vault's control panel looks destroyed and the door is halfway closed. "Hurry!" I yelled. We hurried our way towards the closing door, and one by one we hopped through of what's left of the opening before it is completely shut.

"AUUURGH!" We heard someone yelled from behind us, which happened to be Dusters. Along with the screeching noises, we all turn to see Duster's left foot caught on the vault door. "HELP! HELP GET THIS THING OFF!" He yelled, using his hands to push himself forward. But because of that, his agonizing cry sounded again, making him fall back on his stomach.

Veronica stood up and turned to us, rubbing the back of her hood. "Uhh, sorry guys," she laughed weakly. "my right arm gave way. I think his right leg swung back just as soon as the vault door closed."

Natalie ran up to Veronica. "Veronica, how can you be so careless!?" She yelled.

"Crimson," Craig called me, yanking the sling off of him, causing him to wince a bit.. "Take this. I am going to use my machete and amputate his leg and I want you to wrap that around his wounded area to keep the blood flow from pouring out!"

I nodded. "Alright. Natalie, Veronica. You got to restrain Duster while we try to detach Duster from the door." I ran with Craig just as soon as I got the cloth off his hand, making our way down to Duster. Natalie and Veronica held Duster down by the arms, I untied the small knot and tied the cloth tightly on Dusters lower shin while Craig readies his machete with his left one quick movement, he sliced the shin under the tighten cloth, both having Duster free and wrestled around, screaming.

Duster continued to scream, followed by a painful sob. "Oh, fuckin' hell!"

"I hear somebody!" I heard a voice from afar tell on the other side of the walls. About three NCR soldiers with their guns in hand ran up to us. "Hey, it's you guys! What seems t-"

"No time, sir!" Natalie interjected. "Somebody is in dire need of surgery after an unprepared amputation, and we have 1st Recon with a dislocated shoulder. We need to head back to Camp McCarren immediately!"

The two soldiers nodded, holstering their guns and sprint their way to grab Duster by both under his knees and arms. "Let's take him to a doctor, stat! You four, keep close!" The two soldiers began running, with the four of us following them back to the camp.

* * *

It took about three to four hours for me, Natalie, and Veronica to stay in the visitor's room in Camp McCarren while both Craig and Duster are in the infirmary for surgery. Veronica has been teaching me how to repair my laser gun, Natalie praying for the guy's recovery, and all I am doing is wait. Now, the three of us are listening to the radio, sitting on three separate beds. I sighed and got up. "I'll be going to the restroom for a bit."

"Alright, don't take too long." Veronica said, eating some snacks Natalie shared with her.

I walked past the two and out of the room, making my towards the escalators. It wasn't until I hear some yelling coming from one of the rooms to the left of me. I turned around, noticing Hsu looking through a window with both Craig and Duster on the other side of it. I walked up to Hsu's side, seeing Craig with nothing but wraps over his bare chest and shoulder. "Worried about 1st Recon?" I jumped after hearing Hsu beside me.

I eyed Hsu for a second, then leaned against the window with my left shoulder supporting me and my arms crossed. "It's..." I spoke. "It's nothing...just wondering if they are okay." I spoke softly, looking to their right.

"I heard from Sanders that you killed off the three Fiends for Dhatri," Hsu spoke. "but she also mentioned you came back empty handed except for Motor-Runner's headpiece. Anders came by and told me about it too. But, either way, if those Fiends are considered dead, it be better off if they are." Hsu put his hands behind his back. "And by the look of your face, it doesn't seem like nothing. Is there something troubling you?"

I lowered my brows, turning to see Duster lying with nothing but shorts, shirt and a huge cast over his amputated leg and Craig holding onto his left arm. A doctor is holding as clipboard, talking to Craig whom doesn't seem too happy. "It's just the fact that I have a little bit of trouble talking to Craig. He mostly keeps to himself, and it is hard for me to trust him." I eyed right back to Hsu.

Hsu turned his body towards me. "Yes, there are some people who are like that psychologically. But, it just takes the right time to open up, depending on the person who you are talking to. Like an old saying: 'Good things comes to those who wait'. If you wait patiently, maybe you'll have him chatter up a storm."

I wish I can laugh at his joke, but something within me feels a hint of...doubt. I turned back to Craig, and notice him eyeing me with worry in his eyes. I gasped a bit, then twist my head the opposite direction. "I'll go get some fresh air..." I murmured, making my way to the entrance.

* * *

_-Craig-_

_Crimson? _I thought to myself as I sat on the medical bed, seeing Crimson, from the other side of the window, walking away from Colonel Hsu. I ignored the throbbing pain in my dislocated shoulder as I stood up off the bed and made my way to their door.

"U-Um, sir!" The nurse spoke behind me. "y-you shouldn't be out of bed until you h-"

"Shut the fuck up!" I snapped, making the nurse back up a few feet from me. I don't want to put up being bedridden every time, not without seeing _her_. I opened the door, walking past the colonel standing to my right. I don't give a fuck about what anyone says, I rather push myself to their limit, even if it kills me. I saw Crimson yards from me, opening one of the middle doors slightly to the outside. I rushed over and stopped the door just seconds before it shut. I opened the door wide, seeing Crimson continue walking forward towards one of the concrete borders against the cracked road.

I heard a sigh coming from Crimson along with the radio on her Pip Boy thing. "What am I going to do..." She said, eyeing the sunset to the west. Her head turned slightly over to my direction, her eyes widen and shimmer from the sun. "Craig!? Shouldn't you be recovering!?"

I can tell the Crimson is highly worried about me just by the tone of her voice, but guessing she won't admit to it. That stubborn bitch... "I don't give a fuck what anyone says. I rather not have anyone pinning me down on a stupid bed and tell me I have to stay for about two days. Bullshit..." I walked over to her, feeling my heart pound for some reason for every step closer I make to her. "What were you just talking to Hsu about?"

Crimson crossed her arms and leaned up against the concrete slab. "He was telling me about the bounties Natalie spoke about to him. That's just it..."

"Bullshit." I barked. "I saw you and him talked to each other for a good two minutes there. Is there something else you and him talking about!?"

She turned her head to me and sighed. "He was asking me if I were worried about you." Just when she said that made me raised my eyebrows, catching my full attention. "He also told me about how certain people can't open up psychologically. 'Good things comes to those who wait', he said, just takes the right time to do that if you wait patiently." She went back to looking west.

"Are you worried about me?" I asked, bringing up the subject. Crimson kept her eyes fixed away from me, her radio singing tunes and her lips closed. "Crimson, if you are not going to speak up, what's the point in getting answers from you!?"

Crimson remained silent for a while as she balled her fists tightly. "Yes..." She answered. "Craig, I am worried about you. Just for some reason I can't seem to look and talk to you directly in the eye because of your martial status. I think I might be in the way of your personal life..."

Now I went dead silent because of her reason behind her silence. "Personal..." I murmured under my breath as that word took me back to the time Crimson met me in the dinosaur statue in Novac, how she helped me find the son of a bitch who sold Carla to the Legion. Actually, meeting the cold, isolated me at that time. "I understand that completely." I spoke. "I...I have a hard time trusting people I see or meet."

Crimson's head shift to me. "Well, I know that..." She shrugged her shoulders. "You don't trust me with telling any of the stuff you are keeping to yourself."

"You haven't let me finished." I said, walking and leaned on the slab to her left. "Trust is a main issue in my books. If I were to open up to anyone who thinks he or she is friendly or kind, I'm afraid that person would be the enemy. Because of that, I would assumed to become highly vulnerable to any attack that might come my way." I shift my glare to her. "I feel like trusting a two faced jackass would end up hurting me inside out, reasons to my stone, cold demeanor. But, when I met you in Novac, you look innocent. You're different from everyone else I see...more-"

_"Let's ride into the sunset together! Stirrup to stirrup, side by siiiiiide. When the day is through, I'll be here with you. Into the sunset we will riiiiide!"_

The lyrics from the Pip Boy somehow touched me. Ironically, me and Crimson are literally side by side, watching the colorful sunset casting off above the mountains. But, the third line...it hit me. "Crimson." I turned to the glowing red shimmering off her hair.

"Yes?" She turned to me. I notice her face is a deep red, probably because of the atmosphere around both of us. I also noticed the blue star in bottle cap necklace around her neck starting to glow. But, seeing her in general somehow...made me feel warm inside.

"I figured you would have that bottle cap more than I do back at the test site." I spoke, more kindly than I expected. "That star glowing, I think it matches your eyes perfectly..." I eyed her blushing, glowing face after my little confession. I think I felt a heat wave sweeping across my face. _Am I...blushing!? _I thought. I have never felt this way since Carla. Then it hit me again. _Carla! _I thought through my fuzzy mind. _That must be the reason to mine and Crimson's distrust in each other. _"What I'm trying to say is..." I stopped, can't seem to spit out the last few words as I eyed her.

"Trying to say what?" Crimson asked. I eyed her confused facade. I couldn't talk any further, nor utter another word. My mind went completely blank in an instant...like I am forgetting about what I going to say next.

I turned away and got off the slab. "Nothing..." I began walking back to the doors of the building. Covering my mouth with my left hand, that torn feeling began to form within my chest. _ This heaviness...it hurts. _I thought, feeling a small tear escaping my right eyelid. _Could...could I be falling for Crimson!?_


	30. Chapter 29 - Torn and Inflicted

_**-(Quest Break)-**_

* * *

_**((Hey there, fellow readers. Wonder why the little title says Quest Break? Well, because of Craig's and Duster- or Eric's- injuries, the group will be taking a break from all the mission for a day, but the Quest Breaks will be a small amount in this story. You'll be seeing some frequent POV swaps between Craig and Crimson in this chapter, letting you all know. Plus, a shout out to the anonymous guest, thanks for the reviews. And thanks for those who are following my story. Hope you'll stick around until the end. Now, onward with the chapter! -CS))**_

* * *

I felt my heart rapidly pound against my chest after hearing Craig telling me something that rendered me speechless. But what got me wondering is why come all this way to tell me that? I eyed Craig, walking away from me towards the door to the Camp McCarren building. I feel like just staying where I am while I watch the sunset to the east, but I wanted to know what he was about to say before he choked out. "Craig!" I yelled, making him stop midway on the road.

Craig turned around, his green eyed glowing from the orange-yellow brightness of the sunset. "What is it?" He waited for me, keeping his right, dislocated arm bent at a 90 degree angle from all the wrappings wrapped around his torso and shoulder.

I paused for a while, feeling some heat burning on my cheeks. "I..." I sputtered. Just when the moment of chickening out was about to overcome me, I maintain my composure and gained the confidence I need to walk over to my sniper friend. "Craig, I wanted to ask if I can know more about you." Just when I said that made Craig lowered his brows. I can tell he is not pleased since he instructed me not to ask him about his past. "That is...I know it is sudden, but I will wait until you are ready to talk to me. If it will take a damn long time to gain your trust, I'll still wait until the time is right."

Craig kept glaring at me in silence for a good minute or so. He first took a quick look at the sunset, this released a huge breath of air before shifting his gaze back at me. "I bet you are wondering how I know about my wife being dead."

"Huh?" I gasped, my widen, shocked eyed fixed at Craig's serious complexion. Now that he mentioned it, he did say that his wife _is _dead, but he never mentioned to me on why he knows. But, because the subject about Carla has brought up, it feels like someone and thrust a huge knife into my chest cavity. I think I am going to be sick because of that. "What about it?" I asked, ignoring the pain within me.

"She..." Craig spoke, his eyes showed agony and emptiness. "I tracked her down by following the Legion's trail to the Colorado river southeast of here. I was up on a higher ledge, making sure none of them can see me." His face harden slowly. "I looked through my scope as I saw them selling her. There were hundreds of swarming Legion, bidding for things no man has a right to." I can see him shaking a lot, probably remembering something horrible from that time.

I can feel his pain, even though I don't have anyone that is really close to me like him and his wife. I gingerly placed my hand on his left shoulder, having him raise his head up to me. "I'm sorry, Craig. If it is painful to talk about, we can discuss it at another time."

Craig shook his head side to side. "I rather get it off my chest. But only to you, Crimson, because I feel like you are the most trustworthy out of anyone I know."

The intense pain within me somehow faded now that he said that. I simply nodded at him, releasing my hand away from his shoulder. "Continue." I want to gain his trust, so in return I can give him mine.

Craig took a deep breath though his face is still showing pain. "I kept eyeing her as I eyed them...doing things to her. But, I only have one bullet in my chamber. That's when I shot her, gave a mercy killing. It left a huge burn in my subconscious and it kept replaying every so often when I sleep. That's why I told you I have insomnia that night you and I were awake."

Now the pain began forming right back in me. Hearing his story about killing his own wife hit me pretty hard. "Back at Nipton, one of the Legion mentioned about enslaving women, making them spread their seed to further their strength in their army. But, for her..." I saw him eyeing me. "I think it was better for her to not be a slave for them."

Craig nodded. "Exactly. I've seen the horrors of what they do to women., it's worse than death. There was never any saving her. They'd have taken her where I couldn't follow. What I did...it was considered a rescue. But, it was a mistake to think I could escape that. It still haunts me, even while I'm with you, Boots, Brotherhood, and the bounty hunter."

"You didn't have to make that decision, Craig." I spoke. "You could've saved her while you can.

"You don't understand." His tone turned icy. "It was gonna be something. If I'd never met Carla, it would've been something else. I should've never gotten close to her. You take out a debt, its only a matter of time before someone comes collecting." He looked down. "Things just finally caught up to me since then. And I wanted to just tell you about it than let it eat me away to the brink of death."

"Well," I said, calmly. "as much as the subject about your wife seemed to have made me uncomfortable, but it is great that you finally opened up a little. I...I wonder if that made you feel a little better than before."

Craig stared at me for a few seconds, having his head turned back to the sun. "Yeah, it has." He murmured. "Though just the mere image of it won't go away. Emotional scars can't be healed with Stimpaks you know."

"I know..." I murmured, looking at the sunset along with Craig. It feels like I've gain some trust from him. But, is it worth being comfortable near him?

* * *

_-Craig-_

I really don't know what to say next to Crimson, other than just eyeing the artwork in their sky with her. But, breathing out what has been buried within me after all this time really did ease me up. And what's better is that it's Crimson I'm talking to...but why her? Why not everyone else in this god damn forsaken wasteland? Of course, on the other hand, she did listen to me and didn't utter a word to anyone else. "Thanks..." I uttered.

"For what?" Crimson asked, turning to me.

"Listening to me." I replied, keeping my gaze fixed on the mountains. "And trusting me even though we had such a rough start back in Novac. And I am pleased you didn't tell anyone, even Varges, about my problems."

She chuckled softly. "Believe me, I know that if I were to utter even a small word about you, I will be your next running target." She began to laugh.

Honestly, I'll admit that what she said is true...and funny. But not even a since hint of laughter is escaping my lungs. I probably might have more things to tell her. "Remember the time I told you that I met Carla back in New Vegas." Crimson automatically stopped laughing. I shift my gaze over at their big roulette tower at the small city and walked past Crimson a few feet from her. "I was on leave when I met her at the Strip. She took one glance at me, told me I looked lost."

"You...were?" I heard Crimson said behind me.

I bobbed my head yes. "Carla asked if I can have a drink with he. I can't remember which one it was we went to, but she did kept me company." I felt a grin pulled up on my lips. "She talked a lot a of bullshit. But...it suited me fine- I never knew what to say." I chuckled a little. "And listening to her, it could...make you forget everything. She pretty much stuck out everywhere we went, like she was from a different timeline. A better time, I've never met anyone like her. Her smile is just the warmest I have ever sa-"

"Shut up..." Crimson's voice sounded different, having my grin faded away as I turned to her. I gasped, noticing an endless river of tears pouring down from her eyes. "Just shut up, Craig." She barked, turning around and running to the door.

"Crimson, wait!" I tried reaching for her wrist, but she snatched it away from me quickly. The sound of her quiet sob traveled with her to the terminal building and through the door. I froze in place, not noticing that area around me got a little bit more darker now the sun is behind the mountains. The face Crimson made, implanted in my memory, was nothing more but intense pain. Pain from me, talking about my dead wife. "So this is why you're so distance from me." I whispered to myself. "It's because of my marriage with Carla that made you feel torn..." Damn, I really blew it. Once in my chance where I think I've made a friend only to have inflicted her it my past. "Fuck..." I growled.

* * *

_Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID! _I thought to myself while I tried to hold in the sobbing as I ran into the nearest restroom. I opened the door and shut it, having my back on the door and slowly sliding down having the anguish wails bursting out of me. _I was such a fool to be comfortable near Craig when he mentioned the good parts of his deceased wife._ It feels like an endless stabbing occurring in my chest.

_"I've never met anyone like her." _Craig's calm voice echoed in my memory. I wish I can probably shoot myself with Duster's .32 pistol in the head so my memory could be wiped cleaned again so I won't have to deal with this damn pain.

"I'll just stay in here." I got up to my feet and walked a few feet forward to the middle of the wall and sat down. "Maybe with nothing around me, it can ease the pain away." My eyes blankly stared at the small, square tile floor in front of me. "Why do I feel so fucking torn, because of Craig being married!?" I asked myself with not one answer popping up in my empty mind. I let out more of my endless but empty tears out of my eyelid, feeling myself drifting slowly to darkness. _Maybe if I didn't exist, everything would've been better..._

* * *

_-Craig-_

It is about close to 9:30 at night, and no sign of Crimson anywhere within the camp's building. I sat on one of the beds in the visitor's room watching both Boots and Brotherhood talking about useless shit. The bounty hunter is probably knocked out due to the massive blood loss from his amputated leg from the mid shin down. All my mind is about Crimson, and wherever the fuck she is.

"Howdy..." I moved my eyes to see the bounty hunter appearing through the doorway with a pair of crutches. He wore his signature attire before he was rushed over to the infirmary downstairs. "'Ow's ev'ryone doin'?" He planted his ass on the first bed to his left.

"Me and Veronica are just reading this little Pre-War comic: La Phantoma!" Boots squealed, holding some stupid, worn out book from what appears to be from 1951 in small, yellow letters. "Who ever knew this Pre-War super hero spoke this 'Spanish' language. Though I don't know what it is..."

The Brotherhood woman giggled. "Neither do I. But this comic is awesome!" She laughed along with Boots.

I scoffed to the opposite direction, not giving a fucking damn how happy those two girls are from a stupid book with pictures. All I know is that I feel really horrible about hurting Crimson after opening up to her and talked about Carla back at the Strip while on leave. "'Ey, 1st Recon. Y'kay?" The bounty hunter must be talking to me.

"None of your fucking business, scumbag." I hissed coldly. "Why don't you drag yourself out and touch some other whore's ass for your damn pleasure." I don't want that damn disgusting piece of trash in my sights after what Crimson told me about him 'frisking her'.

"I told ya an' Crimson-" he stopped talking. "Say, where is Crimson? Haven' seen her since Vault 3!"

"Me and Natalie haven't seen her since she left to go to the restroom." Brotherhood spoke, capturing my attention. "Who knows, she might be looking for something over there to clear her mind of worry." I heard a yawn coming from her and Boots. "But, she'll come back! It's time for bed!" Some foot steps from Brotherhood scuffed on the floor for a second along with the sound of the bed being pushed down. "Good night!"

"Night!" Boots and bounty hunter spoke, closing the door and turning the light off in the room. I am the only one still sitting on the bed, awake. The ping of the sharp pain throbbed in my dislocated shoulder, maybe due to the tightness from the bandages.

I pulled my brows down, the thought of Crimson still lingering in my mind. _I can't just fucking sit around and do nothing about her disappearance. _I shoved myself off the bed and walked my way towards the door, opening it slowly to silence the annoying squeaking from the hinges on the door. I slipped through with ease, though hitting my right shoulder against the door is not a good feeling, and quietly walked my way to the ground floor through the escalator.

"Hold it right there,1st Recon." One of the NCR soldiers guarding the door stopped me when I am just at the median of the terminal building. "You know the rules, after 2100 hours, everyone is ordered to be in their barracks."

"I'm looking for this ground floor restroom." A hunch, Crimson never might've gotten too far here in this level. And since Brotherhood mentioned about a restroom, I figured she'd be there to avoid me, or anyone.

The soldier nodded. "The door next to the left escalator."

I didn't have time to thank him, I briskly walked my way over to the door with a unisex sign on the side. I twist the nob slowly and slowly opened the door inwards. And right in front of me on the floor is Crimson. Just the moment I saw her made my heart pound rapidly. "Thank god..." I whispered as I closed the door behind me. The soft sighs coming from her indicated that she must be asleep.

"No...can't..." Crimson mumbled, audible enough for me to hear.

_She must be dreaming about something. _I pondered. _Maybe another memory of her past she's been trying to figure out. _I quietly walked to her and knelt down, grunted a bit from the pain in my shoulder. I took one quick look at her face, observing the redness and puffiness under her eyelids. She must've cried herself to sleep, poor Crimson. _Wait, why am I so worried about her all of a sudden!? She's just a fucking, lowly courier on her quest to find this stupid Benny for a stupid chip for her stupid delivery! Maybe once she's done that, she can leave out of the Mojave and out of my life. _I got pissed for a bit as I stood up and walked my way to the door.

"Craig..." My name was mumbled under Crimson's breath, making me stop and turned to her sleeping person. Her head moved slightly as her face is shown in my direction.

I wish I can just exit out of this restroom and leave her alone, but- being a sniper myself- there is a code for the 1st Recon rank that we must work in pairs. Remembering the time me and Crimson were handling the ghoul predicament back in the REPCONN Test Site across from Novac as a pair sort of remind me about that. And after the countless times she saved me from certain death- which is what I want- it made me wonder: is her existence an omen...or a blessing. "Shit..." I murmured, turning back around and sat next to her. I can't leave her alone even for just one second.

"Legion..." Crimson spoke. "no...stay away..."

_She's dreaming about the Legion? _I thought, making me curious. Just the little few words she sluggishly said in her sleep must've mean she is trying to ward off the Legion in her dreams. I don't blame her, even in her dreams she is an enemy of the Legion, which I am glad wholly. But still, because of her amnesia, she is still vulnerable in anyway if she were to wander off without any sense of direction. If I hadn't accompany her, she would've been dead from those ghouls. Just thinking about all of this made me feel highly remorseful for telling Crimson about Carla, having her emotionally torn. "I'm sorry, Crimson..." I spoke softly, hoping she'll hear me in her subconscious dream state. "I really didn't mean to do this to you. I hope you can forgive me..."

Crimson mutter some more nonsense under her breath, but I was about to make out what little word she said: don't go. I wonder what she mean by that? Well, whatever it is, I hope it's not about me. But seeing Crimson with her head slouching down to one side, I'm afraid she'll sustain a broken neck.

'Damn it..." I mutter, scooting closer to her. I nudged her head slowly up with my bandaged arm as support, but at the same time the weight of her head caused my to wince because of the intense pain. But, I can live...for a while until someone ends my life in any way. I kept myself completely still, hearing the constant breathing from the sleepy courier on my disabled right arm. My heart pound rapidly against my torso again. I think just this lowly courier leaning against me is probably all the company that I want...just her, no one else.

I sighed quietly, taking a quick glimpse of her messy, mistreated, auburn red hair. Some parts of it shine from the little light above the broken mirror on the wall. "Maybe me and Crimson should just remain as companions. If I were to tell her the time back in Bitter Springs, I'm afraid she'll never want to talk to me...let alone having her trust." Those were the last words I said before I let my heavy eyelids closed, letting me rest until the next day.


	31. Chapter 30 - Clearing my Shrouded Mind

_**-There Stands the Grass-**_

It took me a while to realize I was still in the restroom as I slowly started gaining consciousness after a night of isolation. Even having a nightmare about the Legion trying to put me on some cross like the Powder Gangers in the burning Nipton were in. Even seeing Craig walking away from me, making the pain in my chest intensify for some reason. I carefully opened my eyes, eyeing the wall in front of me. "Ugh, what a night..." I mumbled, shifting my head a little, until I noticed something to the left of my head and shoulder._ Huh? _I became more alert. Something is on me, or maybe I am on something. I slowly lift myself up to the right and turned to see Craig sleeping against the wall. I froze in place, my heart going haywire every second I glance at his sleeping, peaceful face. "Craig!?" I murmured. Has he been sleeping beside me all night last night?

Craig stirred a little, his eyelids flutter a little until it went up all the way. He groaned and rubbed his eyes with his left fingers before he turned to look at me. Craig didn't seemed to be surprised at my awakening, just stared at me like nothing has happened to him. "Morning..." He murmured to me.

The heat came back on my face with the feeling of annoyance pouring in my mind from last night's conversation with him about his wife and the _good parts _that left me feel damaged within, reason why I want to isolate myself. "Why are you over here with me!?" I asked. All I got coming from Craig is a long, blank stare and silence. Because of that, I got irritated that quick. "Answer me!" I hissed.

Craig blinked a couple of times until he moved his head to the door. "Just..." His soft voice echoed in the restroom. "just wanted to make sure you have some company..."

My eyes widen from his answer. As much as I am highly fulfilled that he stayed beside me in the public restroom all night, but that doesn't mean that can heal the pain that was inflicted after he told me about the good times with his wife. I shook my head, pushing myself off the floor and towards the door. "Leave me alone..." I warned him without making eye contact just as soon as I exited the bathroom. I kept walking through the floor level towards the stairs until I noticed Veronica and Natalie standing at the top step of the second floor.

"Crimson, where have you been all night!?" Natalie spoke first. "And have you seen Craig? He disappeared short after we went to sleep last night."

I opened my mouth slightly just to give them an answer, but maybe the thought of me and Craig sleeping in a public restroom all night might make them very suspicious. "I haven't seen him." I spoke in a monotonous way. "I slept in a different room to keep myself isolated so I can clear my mind of negativity. Now, I need to eat something right now. I don't want anybody near me today..."

"Crimson," Veronica called. "are you sure that's a good idea to be alone when there is me, Natalie, the bounty hunter, and the hulk to keep you company?"

I walked passed them without answering her question, just when she mentioned Craig's nickname made me tightened my jaw. "Just...leave me alone." I don't even want anybody near me nor have them become involved with my problems. _Personal _problems to be specific.

* * *

All morning I have been keeping quiet about my whereabouts to everyone, even my 'batallion', just so I can at least clear my dark, clouded mind away from yesterday. I am now outside of the terminal building in the shooting range, practicing my accuracy with a dummy target several yards from me. 12:07 in the afternoon, practicing for about twenty minutes and wasting three microfusion cells didn't improve my skills at all. "Damn it...not good enough." I murmured to myself, lowering my laser rifle to my hip. I eyed the target with seven to nine burn marks around the targeted areas, it is really pissing me off. I can't clear my mind out of anything that involves Craig.

"Having trouble?" I remained unmoved by the sound of Craig's voice behind me, hearing his steps coming closer to me. "If it's about sniping, I can help you with that."

I let out a warning groan. "Haven't I told you to leave me alone..." I released the empty microfusion cell out of my laser rifle and replaced with a loaded one before pulling it up near my face. I pulled the trigger, having the red beam miss five inches to the left. Craig's presence behind me isn't doing any good to me. "Okay, what do you want!?" I slung my laser rifle onto my shoulder and turned around to see Craig in full, reinforced leather armor, except his right arm is still in a cast and on a sling.

"I haven't seen you all morning." He explained, his voice low and calm. "I hope your demeanor right now is not about yesterday's conversation regarding Carla. But if it's so, is that the reason you are keeping quiet and avoiding everyone as much as possible?"

I remained silent for a few second, then proceed to go back into position of aiming my laser rifle at the targets. I clicked the trigger twice this time, this time only hitting the big, red ring on the big square sign on its chest. "Why don't you go bug Natalie, maybe chat with Veronica. Or exchange punches at Duster...or Eric, whatever. I don't need anybody near me at this moment." I felt the back of my hand being covered by Craig's left, broad hand.

"You're not going to get anywhere if you can't learn to be at ease." His voice is near my left ear, having my heart beat at an accelerating rate. "If you can clear your mind of everything and focus on your target, you'll have a better chance in landing a shot on its vital parts. Not only that, make sure you are holding your breath for better accuracy."

"Can you get off of me!?" I said, irritated by just his touch making my mind all flustered. His hand remained on mine for a short second before I jerked myself away from him. My back is towards him, showing him that I wish to not see him. "I need you out of my s-"

"Well, blast from the past! If it isn't the hero of Goodsprings!" A very familiar voice echoed in front of me. "I had a feeling we'd might cross paths eventually." I lift my head up to see none other that Ringo, the caravan traveler I helped fight off the Powder Gangers in Goodsprings, walking towards me with as huge grin in his face. "Oh, before I forget," he reached into his pocket for a medium sized bag of bottle caps. "here's the rest of the payment I own you back in Goodsprings."

I happily caught it in mid arm length with my free, left hand. "Hey, thanks!" I holster my laser rifle before Ringo came up close to me as the both of us clasp our hands together and shook. "Nice to see you alive and well, Ringo!" I released the hold soon after that. "How's the caravan business going for you?"

"Pretty good, actually," Ringo shrugged. "I'm getting ready to run as caravan up towards Utah. There's a town called New Canaan which is suppose to be pretty prosperous. The Crimson Caravans doesn't have any branches out that way, so it'll be up to me to get things started."

"Awesome!" I replied with a sunny smile. "I wish you good luck on the travel." Then my attention is reverted to a more different matter. "Speaking of travel, what brings you here?"

"The head of the Crimson Caravans," Ringo began, crossing his arms. "Alice McLafferty, she sent me here to deliver an invoice to Dr. Hildern here. Since everyone in the caravan business it too busy with other things, she got me to do it since I was about to get ready for a long trip." His eyes shift to the right and past me. "Umm, what is up with your friend there? He has those eyes like he is about to murder me."

I turned around to see Craig's infuriating eyes piercing at Ringo. I have a bad feeling something worse is going to happen in a few seconds if I don't make a move. "Well," I gulped, turning back to Ringo. "I can take you over to the doctor, and maybe ask Hsu in where he is."

Ringo skilled and nodded. "Thanks a bunch!" He started running forward, going past me towards the building doors. I followed right behind him, ignoring any eye contact with Craig, to the interior of the building where he is standing a few feet from me.

"Oh, Crimson!" I noticed Natalie walking towards me. "I've been looking all moved for you! Colonel Hsu has ordered the five of us to meet with him in his office. Apparently he has another assignment for us to do as our punishment."

I chuckled a little. "Well, that's ironic! I am just on my way to see Hsu and ask him if he can tell me where this Dr. Hildern is." I pointed at Ringo beside me. "Ringo here from the Crimson Caravan organization has come here to deliver an invoice to him."

"Then, we better see the colonel right away." Craig unexpectedly appeared right to my left, walking away from the three of us. I also notice Veronica supporting Duster, or Eric, as they walk down the escalator to the bottom floor.

"Well, orders are orders." Ringo said, shrugging his shoulders before proceeding onwards. "Better not make the colonel mad."

Rolling my eyes at Ringo's little comment, me and Natalie made our way forward through the barricade behind the three middle doors towards a small door guarded by two metal armored people with Incinerators on each side. We walked in and formed a horizontal line in from of Hsu along with another person in a white coat. _Wonder what our new mission is going to be? _I thought.

Hsu, along with the mysterious stranger beside him, stood at attention with his arms behind his back. "I assumed all of you have arrive to know why I have instructed for your presence here?" He eyed us as we nodded in silence. "Well, now with the Fiend's leaders wiped out of existence, they will only be a minor threat to us. But a minor threat like that won't be such an easy walk in the sand, since our thoughts are on the Legion and for any spy who might be under NCR attire. Now, I don't know what kind of destination Dr. Hildern here has pinpointed in Sanders' map, but he has a specific mission for you guys to go."

"Indeed," the one named Dr. Hildern spoke, nodding as a reply. Wait, so that is Dr. Hildern Ringo wanted to deliver the invoice to. "since Hsu here told me security is going to be a little tight now that those dastardly Fiend leaders have been wiped out into existence. But because of a Legion spy posing as an officer was within our shrouded eyes all this time, they will have to keep a close eye on any more accomplices. I have asked Hsu here if there will be any eligible people to partake in my choice of destination in search of something valuable. And there comes you six."

"Umm, sorry," Ringo walked forward to the doctor. "I'm not with them. I'm only here to give you an invoice from Alice McLafferty back at the Crimson Caravans." He pulled up a small, square white object out of his pocket and hand it to the doctor. "Here's the holodisk containing it "

"Thank you," Dr. Hildern grabbed the little disk and placed it in his white coat pocket.

Ringo nodded and turned, but stop to see me. "I wish you the best of luck on your journey. And thanks again for protecting me from Cobb." He extended a hand out to me.

"Anytime, Ringo!" I grinned, grabbing his hand to shake one more time. "And I wish you good luck on your journey, too." I released his hand to let Ringo walk out of room to the nearest exit door. I turned over to Hildern and Hsu. "Continue please."

Dr. Hildern kept a straight face as he nod. "Yes, of course. I have this assignment readied for you people as a favor to Hsu. It deals with the food shortage we have been struggling for the last four years. And the particular destination I have located on the NCR recruits map is where you'll find this said information. Find it, and I'll reward all of you with one-third of the full payment in caps. Do you all understand?"

"Yes, sir." We all said together.

Hsu nodded. "Crimson, Sanders, Brotherhood Veronica. Please go wait out on the main floor. I have to speak with first Recon and Mr. Scottsdale in private with other matters at hand."

Natalie was the only person to salute at Hsu. "Yes, sir!" With Veronica's and my arm Bering grabbed by her, she pulled us through Hsu's office door onward to the main floor. "Now, to find out what place we have to go to!" She pulled out her map and unfolded it quickly to the picture of the Mojave Wasteland. Natalie point to a small, red X on the left part of the map, suggesting that might be our place to go to.

"But, the doc didn't say what kind of place we are going to." Veronica said. "I hope it doesn't involve anything creepy. Because I hate creepy stuff."

"Did...Did Dr. Hildern..." We turned to see another person with a white, lab coat like Hildern. Except this is a woman with an accent like Duster's. "I'm sorry if this isn't any of my business, but...did he gave the three of you a job?"

I pulled my brows down at her, perplexed about her question. "Yes, he has...as part of our little punishment. He didn't say what kind of destination we are going to, but its somewhere over at the eastern part of the wasteland." I crossed my arms. "Plus, who are you?"

"Oh," the woman laughed weakly. "I'm so if I haven't introduced myself. I am Dr. Angela Williams. I am a scientist and head researcher for the NCR. Though I don't sound like one, being raised in a barn with brahmin and some ranchers, but it drives Dr. Hildern crazy since I can't lose my twang. But that's not important. But, can I please see the map on where he has instructed you to go?"

Natalie hand her the map. "Sure, go ahead. Maybe you know what kind of location he marked with a red X. The three of us are clueless on what we are going into."

"Vault 22..." Angela answered. "I know I shouldn't say anything around Hildern, but you three are not the first to ever venture in the vault. Mercs come to him and ask for any jobs to do for the extra caps, but not one of them has ever came back."

"What!?" The three of us became flabbergasted.

Angela nodded. "Yes, it is surprising, I'm afraid to say. But there is another reason why I came to you. You see, just about a week ago, another scientist named Keely who ventured to the vault. She's unusual, not the sort of person you'd expect to see and meet, but she is an absolute genius, and..." She stopped and eyed us, her expression shifted quickly. "Wait, he never mentioned anything to you about her, nor any of the other mercs."

"Nope," Veronica answered, beating us to it. "She has never mentioned any of that to us. Why so?"

I sighed and crossed my arms. "I wish he could've said something to us, or even Hsu. Because if what you said is true, then I guess I'll have a chat with him and get some answers!"

"No, no!" Angela stopped me. "Please, I don't want any trouble happening if he hears about this. Look, I know this is sudden, but I am really concerned about her. She hasn't came back, and since Dr. Hildern has asked you to take on this job, he probably either heard about Keely's failure or must've given up on her. So, if you three don't mind, please find Keely over there."

"You can count on us, Dr. Williams!" Natalie accepted, having both of me and Veronica nod in agreement. "We will do what we can to find her in the vault, and maybe bring her back as soon as possible!"

"BULLSHIT!" We turned around to the sound of Craig yelling at Hsu. "FUCKING BULLSHIT!" I wonder what he is pissed off about?

* * *

_-Craig-_

"That is bullshit!" I yelled at Colonel Hsu. "I can't just stay here on my ass all fucking day because of my fucking arm! What if they were to be ambushed by the Legion while they are on their way out in the open wasteland!? I can handle them with one arm still okay!"

The colonel kept his stance at attention and shook his head. The doctor left the room without saying another word. "I'm sorry, 1st Recon. I can't let you go out with your arm in its current condition. I won't even let Mr. Scottsdale go hopping on one foot out there without the proper prosthetic foot. This is an order, you need to stay put and get some much needed rest and let the other three take on the excursion." Without me protesting, the colonel walked out of his room.

"'Ey, you're not as bad as me, pardner." The bounty hunter behind me spoke. "I 'ave t' wait fer a replacement foot to be made. But, I got time in m' hands to sit back an' relax. No need t' be mad o'er nothin'."

"Then you are a coward that has admit defeat!" I growled, walking out of the little room. I noticed Hsu talking to Crimson, Boots and Brotherhood about them three going to take on the quest themselves. The three nodded just before the colonel walked away from them. "So, that's it, huh!?" I spoke to them as I walked my way forward. "You three taking on the mission? Why haven't you said differently?"

Boots made an apologetic expression. "Sorry, 1st Recon. But, orders are final once the colonel has instructed us immediately."

"Don't get us wrong, hulk." The Brotherhood woman said, calling me by that irritating name. "We all really wanted to take you and sharpshooter with us, but I'm afraid to say that in your condition right now, you might be a burden. Not to mentioned being an open, easy target to both raiders and abominations alike."

That part stung me like the stinger on the Cazadores's thorax, really hard. I turned to Crimson, who has yet to express her opinion on the situation. "Crimson," she lift her head, her pale, blue eyes staring at me with remorse. "surely you got some other way to have me come with you. Maybe bend the rules a bit. Please?" I just hope she, my trusted companion, would be able to do that.

"I..." I can hear her voice all shakened up. "I'm sorry, Craig." She turned her gaze away from me, denying any eye contact towards me. "But you have to stay here for this one due to your arm in a dislocated state that might turn out to be a burden for us. I really don't want you to end up breaking another one of your body parts. Or worse, even having you killed." She turned her back to me. "Sorry, it's for the best..." She, with Boots and Brotherhood, walked to the doors to the outside, disappearing out of sight.

I froze in place, hearing the exact words replaying in my mind from Crimson. _It's...for the best!? _I repeated, feeling myself crumbling down just by those words. "Why..." I whispered to myself. "Why did you say that!?" There has to be a reason why she said that.

"Well," the bounty hunter spoke behind me, hearing the crutches tapping on the floor. "since it's just th' both o' us, why don' we talk 'bout some stuff before the girls return? Maybe git t' know each other er somethin'?"

"Fuck off, just leave me alone..." I hissed, walking away from the bounty hunter. _I'll show everyone that I am not a burden! I just need to push forward! _I made my way to the doors leading outside, going to do my own personal training. I don't see the three other members of the battalion anywhere in the camp, assuming they already ran off out of the area. "Just you wait, Crimson. I'll make you eat those fucking words once I make my right arm heal!"


	32. Chapter 31 - Collection

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 2-**_

"You know if you keep on eating the same kind of food, it'll make you sick?" Natalie said as we just got out of the walls of Camp McCarran. She, Veronica, and I are the only three of the five-man battalion to be instructed by Hsu to go to whatever place Dr. Hildern pinpointed in Natalie's map as our next mission. The place the head researcher, Dr. Angela Williams, told us it is Vault 22, where apparently mercs went to and never came back. Angela also asked us to find another one of their researchers, Keeley, within the vault's walls. But right now, I think this will be a long walk.

"Actually," Veronica chimed in. "I believe that is as myth. But, I have to say that there are other food out in the wasteland besides what you're holding. You need more nutrition, like protein, iron, potassium, that kind of stuff."

I gulped the little chunks of the red round food just so I can speak. "Okay, I don't know what those words you list off, Veronica," I spoke before taking another bite of it. "but this red round food beats those little, foul aftertaste meat that was in the fridge back in Novac. This one is really sweet!" I chomped a huge chunk out of the red skin and white interior of the food.

"It's an apple, Crimson." Natalie spoke. "I don't understand why you called it a 'red round food'. That sounds pretty dumb if you ask me."

Swallowing the contents in my mouth, I coughed a bit. "Excuse me, Natalie! You're talking to someone who has been shot by a stupid, high-class bastard going by the name Benny and caused me to have amnesia! Hell, I can't barely tell which direction I should plant my left foot at!" I dug my teeth into the apple, in taking another chunk. "Sheesh, give me as break for once..." A little important note happened to pop up in my mind. "Speaking of which, we haven't gotten a chance on getting to know you, Veronica."

We walked past the two story apartment building when Veronica giggled a little. "I guess with all this traveling we've been doing, seems like I was the last one to express myself to you two." She made it look like she wiping a small tear away from her left eye. "Why do I feel so left out!?"

"Oh, Veronica, you are not!" Natalie hugged the Brotherhood garbed member. "Don't worry, I feel left out when 1st Recon is always protecting Crimson in any situation! I am so jealous of her!"

I growled in defense. "He is _not _always protecting me, Natalie!" I yelled. "I don't understand why you are that jealous of me just because Craig is being my shield from certain points of danger and destruction. It's not like me and him have any connection whatsoever!"

"I like long walks in the desert and candle-lit metal workshops." Veronica randomly spoke, making me and Natalie twist our heads to her. Veronica eyed Natalie, then at me. "Hey, it's a free wasteland! You asked if you wanted to get to know me, well, I said something. The Brotherhood of Steel, well...it pays like ass, but it is hard to get other work with my skills. Once upon a time it was about technology. Controlling it so it couldn't destroy us again. Energy weapons such as that laser rifle you got, Crimson, and power armor are usually the top on our list, although I appreciate anything that is vintage."

"Vintage," Natalie spoke with her voice risen. "you mean like really old, but valuable and priceless items that can't be found again?"

Veronica nodded. "Yes, those vintage. But all seems so limited now. We haven't grown or adept. And now we're stuck in a hole, not carrying out pour missions. Well, I, on the other hand, am a procurement specialist. It's basically grocery shopping, except sometimes the groceries are scavenge parts and arcane technology. The elder who brought us to the Mojave, Father Elijah, usually had me looking for these old memory units. But, he'd never told me what they are for. Nowadays I'm usually sent to do business with traders at places like the 188. But sometimes I think it's just to keep me out of everyone's hair."

We walked down the semi steep hill through the road to the right. "Who is Father Elijah, Veronica?" I spoke, chomping another piece off the apple.

"He was an Elder when we came East." She replied. "A wizard with technology, really. His mind just worked that way naturally. Learned a lot from him." She sighed after that. "But he started having disagreements with the other Elders. The Brotherhood's interests is in old technology. He wanted to explore developing new techs. And there were other ways he wanted to push. Other weapons, ones with ethnic questions attached. Rather than deal with him, they send him East."

"Wow, he must've been great just from what I'm hearing." Natalie hugged Veronica. "And you are great too, Veronica! I am so glad I have made such a best friend in a short amount of time!"

Veronica laughed. "Awww, that is so sweet, Natalie!" Shed hugged her back. "I must tell you, I use to date another woman back at the hole. Let's just say I go towards the feminine side of the relationship." A long pause stretched for a while as we kept walking forward. "I hope you two are not so highly judgmental about same-sex relationships."

I wish I knew what that means, but it sucks that I don't know a damn clue about it because of my amnesia. "Well, in the NCR there is the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' rule about that since it is highly frowned upon. But for me, my father never raised me to criticize people by anything." Natalie said. "So, you're saying your faction is like that also?"

"Yeah, the Brotherhood is the same way too." Veronica clarified. "But, she left the Brotherhood, said she wanted to put some distance between herself and her parents. Since our membership isn't open to outsiders, some members think that obligates all of us are procreate. You can guess which camp her parents belong to."

I swallowed the last bit of the apple before flinging the core to the dirt. "So, you didn't went with her?" I licked the particles off of my fingers, even taking them out from between my teeth.

"No," she answered straightforward. "couldn't bring myself to leave everyone else behind. Couldn't convince her to stay, either." We all reached the end where it meets the road perpendicular to it. We went to the east direction as what Natalie instructed us to. "I'd hope love would be enough to influence her decision, but it wasn't. We were both too stubborn. I don't know where shed is right now, but I am sure she's moved on. I still think about her, though. Once in a while."

"Maybe there will be someone that'll love you the same way you love her." Natalie said, eyeing her map as we kept walking forward through the long road ahead. "Hmm, it'll be a while before we reach the vault by walking. But, I hope we can get through this by nightfall. Of course, we don't know what to expect in there once we enter."

"Just hope we don't run into those silliest dressed band of raping, slaving marauders called the Legion." Veronica warned us. "They have no such privilege for the women, though. Bunch of hypocritical jerkwads, and that's a word."

I chuckled for a bit. "Tell me about it. One of the Legion guys, back when they ambushed me in Nipton, mentioned about enslaving women and have them do everything just to make them a stronger group. The Powder Gangers there were hanging on some wooden crosses, and some buildings were on fire because of their 'teachings'."

"What!?" Natalie shrieked. "Nipton was burned down by the Legion!? Why haven't you told the NCR about it!? It'll save the trouble to have them keep a watchful and keen eye all over the wasteland!"

A groaned was sound through my throat. "Unfortunately..." I said the word slowly. "the Legion's lackey hit me on the back of the head with some hard object. I lost consciousness for about three hours until I woke up in a small town called Novac. One of the townsfolk told me a couple of traveling merchants saw me lying in the middle of Nipton, then brought me over there in my own personal, apartment room." I wanted to mentioned my first meeting with Craig in the dinosaur statue's mouth, but I rather keep quiet about that so neither Natalie or Veronica would swarm Craig with a bucket load of questions. Just the thought of him made me feel blue inside.

"That's a bummer." Veronica spoke, keeping a calm manner to us. "But, I also heard the men of the Legion mount on each other more than they mount on women. I bet that's their little 'spare time' when they are not enslaving their items. I even bet their leader has a higher amount of mounting than anyone. And I don't mean the climbing on mountains kind of mounting."

Me and Natalie couldn't help but bust out laughing at Veronica's assumption. I tell you, Veronica sure knows how to keep our minds busy while we take the long road to our destination. "Gosh, Veronica!" Natalie laughed for a few more seconds as long with me. "Who ever knew you can be so entertaining!" We kept walking toward until we reached up through a small slope to another road leading west of us. "Alright, we take this left road here, and the road to the right straight forward, we might just get to the vault before one."

I crossed my arms over my chest, looking to the left. "I just hope we don't come across either any Fiends, Raiders, or freakishly looking creature that might attack us out of the blue." As soon as I finished talking, I notice a big, yellow creature running to the right with some person wearing pale blue clothing carrying a medium sized net. "What was that?" I murmured.

"What?" Natalie spoke. "You mean that guy running after a huge, yellow gecko with a net?"

I nodded. "Let's check it out!" I declared to my two teammates. Through their long road west and past a bunch of rubble that use to be homes, we made to to the horizontal road and looked right. The yellow gecko is trapped in a heavy net with some guy wearing a blue trench coat with some neck warmer attached to a breather type device. He also wears the same white shirt, sleeves, gloves, pants, and boots as I do. He has a bandana around his bald head and has a thick mustache over his upper lip. There are several cages beside a carriage being hauled by the two headed red bovine, brahmin, while he is trying to find a way to pin it down without being bitten.

"Easy..." The guy inched himself with his arms spread at the tumbling gecko. "Easy..." He lunged forward at the gecko's back, using both of his hands to hold the gecko's head down. "Gotcha!" He called out, wrapping some kind of tape over the muzzle. "That'll teach you to mess with me!" With the squirming gecko wrestling in his arms, the guy turned and stopped right at us. "Huh, didn't expect an audience of fine women to see my work." He tossed the gecko into a medium sized cage and placed it in the wooden carriage along with a few other animals such as a coyote and a mantis. "So, who are you three and why did you decide to invade my business?"

Us three women stared in silence at him. "Uhh, sorry if we did, sir." I spoke in a courteous manner. "We just happened to see you a short moment ago just as we were about to head over to a place we are instructed to be. But, why did you shut the gecko's mouth with tape and put it in a cage?"

"To answer that," he replied, fastening a harness on his brahmin. "is none of your concern! I have some business to attend to and-" he stopped and eyed us. "Actually, forget about their concern part. I see you three are strong, brave, and can withstand anything in this wasteland. Even the most handsome men in the world, like me?" He adjusted his blue trench coat and gave us a pearly white grin.

"We can withstand everything." Veronica spoke. "But I don't think we are interest in men like you who have an ego. Speaking of ego, is it small like the brain in your head, or like your _other _head?" That last part made me and Natalie giggle.

The guy near the brahmin formed a crooked smile and folded his arms over his chest. "Oooh, feisty, aren't you?" He winked and blew her a kiss. "I'll make sure to introduce my _friend _after I ask you three an offer of helping me obtain a creature further up the road behind me. I'll pay you half the caps I have."

I made a disgust sound quietly and turned my head to both Natalie and Veronica beside me, waiting for my reply. "Well," I murmured only to them. "since that direction probably leads to Vault 22, maybe we can follow him to where this creature he is trying to find. What do you think?"

"It's worth a shot..." Natalie murmured back to me. "Though, with those creatures in cages are making me a bit skeptical about his occupation. We better keep a safe distance in case he does something suspicious." She turned her head to the stranger. "So, what certain creature are you looking for? And may we ask your name?"

The stranger smiled and eyed us. "Names Pablo. I am on an expedition to find some unique creatures from every part of the wasteland, searching left and right, north and south for the most va-" he stopped for a short second. "most amazing kind of creatures there is. I've got all of each creature: coyote, NightStalker, mantis, geckos that are yellow, regular, and fire breathing, and even mole rats. I have all of them, except for one peculiar one."

"And," Veronica placed her hand on her right hip. "what kind of creature you are searching for? Maybe cute, or scary?"

Pablo held up his right index finger, pointing up at their sky. "Ah, this is in between the lines of cute and scary. I am searching for a baby DeathClaw."

"DeathClaw!?" Natalie and Veronica yelled in unison, they flinched and took a step back with their faces expressing their fear for the DeathClaw, which makes me perplexed. They wrapped their arms around their torsos, holding onto each other with the sound of their frightened whimpering escaped through them.

I, alone, am highly confused about this situation. I have heard of DeathClaws from Trudy back in Goodsprings, telling be about the creatures swarming in some place called the Quarry Junction. Even the Securitron Victor mentioned them before I made my way to Primm. "DeathClaw?" I asked. "I've heard of it, but I never seen it in person nor someone showing a picture of one. What do they look like, anyway?"

"Why don't we follow this trail up north and I'll show you a glimpse of one." Pablo walked to his brahmin and tug on some leather rope on the brahmin's reigns to get it to go. Along with the huge carriage carrying each one of the different animals, they walked their way away from us. "Better high tail along with me ladies. I'll make sure to protect you from danger." He continued walking with his brahmin through the road.

"This doesn't sound good!" Natalie and Veronica huddled over to me. "DeathClaws are vicious creatures: fast, agile, and deadly with just one swipe of their sharp, long claws. They are very territorial and will kill anyone if they get near them or kill one of their young. And you wonder why everyone avoids I-15 through the Quarry Junction. But, let's keep a good eye on this Pablo person, and make sure he doesn't do anything to harm us."

Veronica nodded. "I can already tell he is trouble a mile away. And something about obtaining each one of those animals make me wonder if he is either a poacher, collector, or some protector to keep each species from going extinct. I doubt the third option would fit into the list of categories." Veronica cracked both of her knuckles. "Don't worry, if he were to do something stupid, I'll punch his head out of his neck."

"You and us both." I pointed out to Veronica, involving Natalie and I to the fray. "But, at least this is the road that will lead us to the vault. And who knows how long we are going to be walking with small, disgusting and perverted until we find the DeathClaw baby." I pulled my laser rifle out of the holster, holding the middle part of my weapon with my left hand. "Let's get going, better arm ourselves in case."

Natalie brought out her shotgun from her holster, and Veronica switching on her Power Fist on her right hand. "Ready." They both said with a nod. I replied back with a nod, having the three of us jog our way to catch up to Pablo.

* * *

_-Craig-_

"106...107...108..." I grunt and counted each time I pushed myself up with just my right arm. During the past thirty minutes I've been self training relentlessly in the middle of the Camp McCarran ground, proving myself- no, proving to _ Crimson, _that I am not a complete burden because of my dislocated right arm. I applied a couple of Stimpaks in my right shoulder before I started training, hoping that will make it heal quicker. "113...114...11-" my arm sort of bent back, making me fall flat on the ground. "Fuck!" I growled through my grinding teeth.

"Yer overworkin' herself, 1st Recon." I hear the bounty hunter behind me, a foot step and some clacking sound came to me in a pattern. "Why don' ya take a breather fer a second er two? I got a couple o' water bottles on me if ya want one."

A growled vibrated through my throat, a hint of annoyance was shown in my eyes when I glared at scumbag. Beads upon beads of sweat poured through my face, neck, and exposed torso- minus the over excessive and tight wraps. I fucking wish his presence is not within my personal space. "Stay the hell away from me! I don't need anyone near me while I'm training." I placed my right fist back on the ground, and focused my strength solely on that arm while doing push-ups. "1...2...3...4..." I kept going, panting in between counts. "7...8...9-" my arm gave up again, making me fall back on the ground. The panting was continuous afterwards.

"C'mon, pardner." The bounty hunter placed a purified water bottle close to my face. "On me, just this once." He came within my view and sat a few feet from me, drinking water out of his own bottle.

As much as I want to keep pushing myself to the limit, I guess a little break won't hurt. Through with my arm, I still feel the sharp pains. Damn Stimpaks and their slow healing rate, wish my arm is done healing. "Fine..." I got up and sat down on the same spot, grabbing the water bottle and chug it quickly. I stopped for a moment to eye the bounty hunter to my right. "Why can't you bother some women here in the camp? If you're that bored of being stuck here, make yourself useful."

"Don' say that. I'm gettin' tired o' doin' stuff that don' make me happy." He said, shaking his head. "After figurin' out m' parents killers, an' now have a prosthetic foot, I believe I'm not who I use t' be." He took a few gulps of water, wiping his lips with his bare right arm. "So, what the' story between you an' Crimson?"

I gave him a cold glare. "None of your business other that Crimson being a fucking stubborn bitch!" I clench my fist, crunching the plastic bottle in my palm. "Drop it, bounty hunter."

"Y' can call me Eric." The bounty hunter clarified. "On th' other note, ol' red hair don' seem t' be that stubborn, nor bad at all. She's a really nice gal, she even mentioned ya t' me." What Eric, or whatever, told me brought my attention up. "She told me yer a good sharp shooter, an' that ya never betray th' ones ya fight along side with."

I remained silent for a while after hearing what he told me what Crimson said about me. I don't know if he is lying or not, maybe I can ask her if she did say that. "I met her back in Novac, where I was staying for about a year when I left the NCR. She helped me with a problem I have been trying to do ever since...my wife died." I flinched after mentioning Carla. "I thought she was an airhead, Legion spy after we met for the first time, but ever since I know that she has amnesia, I have to make sure she doesn't end up killing herself if she makes a wrong turn to her early grave." I intake a lungful of air before releasing it to a sigh.

"So, y' care about her?" Eric asked before taking another sip of water.

"Why should I care about a stubborn bitch!?" I barked. "She makes the most fucked up decisions, she thinks she's a hero, and she keeps on walking forward almost to the brink of death." Just saying all that made me clench the plastic bottle even tighter in my hand. "But..." I slowly began calming myself down. "Something about her..." I stopped, my mind becoming blank again and my heart pounding.

"Craig," Eric said my name, which is a first. "Crimson is a nice person. I can already tell that she was lookin' all o'er fer ya after she woke up after fainting from th' sight o' ya. An' I can tell you an' her are very protective o'er each other, even th' way ya two look an' talk t' each other. Makes me envious if ya ask me."

Great, now that torn feeling buried beneath myself has formed yet again. I wanted to deny everything that Eric said about me and Crimson, but a part of me wants to accept it. But, then again, I never knew she was looking for me after I was trying to find the key to the cell door in Vault 3. "Still, Crimson wouldn't believe me nor trust me after I hurt her with my past last night. I mentioned to her about my wife while I was on leave in New Vegas, how she has this beautiful smile, how she can make you forget and-"

"Maybe that's why, pardner." Eric spoke, having look at him with a confused expression. "Ya tellin' her about the good memories in yer words, an' y' became oblivious t' her feelin's. Maybe because o' that, there may be a lil' hint of feelin' withing her that she has yet t' express an' escape t' ya. When th' time is right, maybe she'll come out an' talk, gain yer trust. Create a friendship, er somethin' more than that."

I got to say, Eric is completely accurate in everything. All this time I have been hiding in the dark and only think of myself when I am blinded by everything around me. Yeah, I do feel really sorry for hurting her, but it _is _my fault for not seeing her pain. "You're right.' I spoke. " You know what, I'm tired of hiding in the dark all this time. All this time I have been stern towards everyone, hating on everyone I see, even pushing them away from my boundaries. If it hadn't been for Boots, Brotherhood, you, and even Crimson, I would've never come this far in life. I figure death might be an option...hell, it still is because of my psychological trauma. Maybe until I am either killed or dead by natural causes, I think it is time to shed some light into my eyes."

"Now, that's th' spirit!" Eric cheered. He got up on both of his feet and pulled a hand towards me. "How 'bout we jog fer a bit. I need t' git use t' my new prosthetic foot before I can skedaddle onwards with ease."

I nodded and grabbed his hand. Eric pulled my right arm and got me onto me feet. But what I noticed is that there is barely any pain in my shoulder. "May take a while for the both of us to heal. Let's make use of our time and train before the others head back here. I want to prove something to someone."

"Not goin' t' ask, but yer on!" Eric declared. "Just need t' jog, that's all. These legs o' mine can't run on their own, ya know?" He chuckled a little.

I nodded, and before we know it, we started sprinting through the road with ease. Eric tripped and fell down on the ground, making me skid to a halt a few feet from him. "Need a lift?" I asked, walking to him with my hand extended to him. "As part of a battalion, we must stick together." I want to change. No...I _need _to change, I should stop covering my eyes and become blinded by the darkness, I have a team I must protect. But, just with Crimson alone, it'll be a while to regain her trust. Even if I die in front of her...


	33. Chapter 32 - Kip

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 3-**_

"Come on, are we there yet!?" I groaned loudly. Pablo, a mysterious animal catcher with a brahmin carrying one of each animal, is leading us up north along the road in search of a baby DeathClaw. Veronica, Natalie, and I have been on his tail with ourselves armed, in case of deception, and keeping a watchful eye on him. But, here's a positive note, at least this road up will lead us to Vault 22 in no time flat.

"Patience is a virtue, young ginger hair." Pablo's suave voice echoed in the air. "Finding a DeathClaw this uncommon requires that and absolute silence so we won't end up being their primary target. And it is a good thing I sedated every captured creature in the caged just a few minutes ago."

"How come?" I asked. "Oh, and don't call me ginger hair. It's Crimson. And if you have time trying to act like a badass flirt, why don't you use that time and find that damn DeathClaw!"

Pablo chuckled. "Ooh, seems like there are two feisty women in the small group. Just what I like!" He continued chuckling while pulling on the brahmin's reigns. "Sedating the animals into a sleep-like state prevents them from making any loud noise that might ward off or create havoc if I am to capture a said creature. DeathClaws have very keen hearing and sense of smell, meaning their perception is critically high."

Veronica leaned to me on my left with her hand over her mouth, slightly. "Reasons to their savage and territorial nature. I have a feeling he is heading towards his early death if the mother of a baby DeathClaw were to find its young in danger." She murmured.

We kept walking through the broken down pavement for a good three minutes, and all we've been seeing are torn down buildings, houses boarded up, a farm with several cattle eating the brown grass, and a huge barren area with nothing but cacti, bare trees and tumbleweeds. "No sign of a DeathClaw, so far..." Natalie murmured to me and Veronica. "Though, I would hate to have one pop up and attack us from behind."

"Gals, over here!" Pablo whispered, waving a hand for all three of us to go to him. We ran up to Pablo and his behind the carriage full of sleeping animals, and far off in the open next to several steep mountains is a huge, hunched, tan looking creature. Well-built, intimidating looking, and its hands with freakishly long claws, it is walking to the west with a couple of little baby creatures that are almost identical to the parent, except they don't have long, black horns on their heads. I felt my whole body slowly becoming petrified by the mysterious appearance.

"That's... DeathClaws..." Natalie whispered in my ear, whimpering and shaking with her hands on my right shoulder. "They're even more dangerous up close like that."

Pablo took his blue trench coat off and brought out a small, gray device from one of the bags in the carriage. "This is how I am able to obtain my pri- I mean, my precious creatures. I use this Stealth Boy, make myself invisible, and I take out the parents and siblings until it is just one little offspring in the open. Then, I sedate it and place it in a room fitting for a creature." He pressed the yellow button on the Stealth Boy, making himself disappear.

"Whoa," Veronica stood back a few feet. "I've seen, or have not seen, people and Nightkin using Stealth Boys, but never seeing somebody having one and using it up close. Fascinating..."

"Watch and learn, ladies!" Pablo's voice sounded from in front of us. We noticed his boot prints digging onto the dirt, making his way over to the DeathClaws. I say, if this Pablo knows what he is doing, I might as well rake note of it the next time I encounter something as intimidating as that." Nothing heard from Pablo out in the open field, and the DeathClaws just stomping away from us when the parent started flailing around. It's long and tough skinned arms were swinging in different directions that it hit both of the offspring yards away from their mother...or father.

Natalie clenched onto my right arm tightly, quivering with intense fear. "Can't believe that even a DeasthClaw parent can hit one of their young. But, where is Pablo? Is...is he on that DeathClaw!?"

Pablo instantly appeared on the back of the DeathClaw, having some kind of rope around the neck. "Yaa!" He yanked on the rope with power, making the abomination slowly kneeling on its knees. "Come on, die you son of a bitch!" He yelled. The DeathClaws hands were on the neck, but with its long nails it is nearly impossible to get the rope off of its neck. With too much oxygen lacking in its lungs, it gave out and fell face first on the ground with Pablo still on its hunched back. "Damn, guess that Stealth Boy ran out of juices. But, now that the mother is down, all there is left is one of the babies."

The three of us carefully walked over to Pablo, keeping ourselves arm if one of the young offspring decides to hit us. "I see one over there!" I pointed at the little DeathClaw getting itself up off of the ground. It saw us and started running after us at an astounding speed. "Shit!" I pulled the trigger of my laser rifle at the little baby, but it barely made a scratch on its head.

"Heads up!" Veronica pulled up in front of me and landed her Power Fist on the head, having a snapping sound coming from the neck. "Little ones aren't a challenge. It's the big ones you have to worry." She turned over to me. "Speaking of little ones, where the second offspring?"

"Got ya, you little bastard!" We see Pablo struggling to get the second baby down while holding some kind of syringe in his left hand. "Nighty night!" He stabbed the needle point into the thick skin neck of the baby DeathClaw. A few seconds have passed and the little creature slumped over Pablo's muscle toned right left arm, slinging it over his shoulder. "There, that'll teach these creatures not to mess with me!" He brought the little DeathClaw over to the carriage, bringing out a medium sized cage to have the capture creature put in. "Done and done!" He said, closing the cage door.

The three of us are dumbfounded to see Pablo taking down a dangerous creature that is almost twice his size down to the ground. "Wow, I'm impressed." I said, holstering my laser rifle. "Seems like you've been practicing for a while just to take that big of a DeathClaw."

Pablo nodded. "Yep, they ain't that tough with a bunch of practice for a few days." He held up and arm and flexed it, making his bicep bulge up on his upper arm. "But, I do what I can to keep you fine looking women safe out of harms way." He walked his way over to me and Veronica and held one of our hands with both of his. "Now, about the reward..."

"Something..." Veronica snatched her hand away from Pablo. "something smells like dead, rotting dog meat here. And I am not talking about an actual dog meat around this area. Obviously, it doesn't look liked you are capturing these creatures just to protect their species by the way you killed the mother."

The collector put on an innocent facade. "Oh, how on earth do you assume that?" He said in a smooth sort of way. "I just merely made the mother fall down from lack of oxygen. It was a slow and painless death." He then turned to me. "How about you, crimson hair? Mind if we share the caps fifty-fifty? Maybe I'll make you my _partner _in crime."

Annoyed, I snatched my hand away from his grip. "I don't care about the damn caps. Hunting down innocent and dangerous animals and sedate them into a sleep-like state is wrong. I believe there is some other reason why you decide to do this, and whatever it is, it needs to stop." I brought my laser rifle out of the holster.

Pablo huffed and smirk. "So what, these creatures are the top prizes and they are worth a lot of caps! You think I am here to get a baby DeathClaw or collect those stupid animals just because I care about their fucking safety!?" He flinched a little and stared at our unpleasant faces. "Uhh...oops..."

Natalie crossed her arms over her uniform top, having her shotgun resting on her shoulder. "Hmm, looks like the fink is finally out of the bag after you just showed us how you are in combat with the most dangerous animal in the wastes. I'm guessing you are one of those guys that collects either certain people or creatures just for money, right?"

Pablo bit his lower lip with sweat pouring down his bald head. He pulled out his little pistol from his hip, pointing the barrel at us. "Yeah, so fucking what!? I want to get rich and have my own villa built in New Vegas. I can have everything I want once I turn in these pieces of scum to my boss. And nobody, not even you three bitches, shall stand in my way!" With the pistol still pointed at us, he backed up to his brahmin. "Now, be good and stay there. I don't want you three taking all the loot."

I slung my laser rifle onto my right shoulder and glared at the collector. "You fucking think the three of us are here to steal these defenseless animals for some stupid money!? Shit, we are over here on our way over to Vault 22 as instructed by Hsu in Camp McCarran."

"NCR...pathetic." Pablo spit at our feet. "NCR are a bunch of butt-fucking pansies who thinks they can control the Mojave with their military dictatorship. Well, I am not going to let one of their jerking, slimy hands touch me and my mission to live in the big lights and casinos! Maybe I can build a casino, one that says 'Pablo's Villa' in huge letters." His eyes twinkle from his dream goal. "I can be famous with everyone, even women!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure that boss of yours must've fucked your mind up to the point of releasing himself to have most of your brain cells dead in seconds." Veronica joked to me and Natalie, having all of us laugh our asses off. "And speaking of dead," we all took our offensive stance, weapons and fists up. "I believe you will be dead once we free these captive animals."

Pablo remained unmoved with the pistol at us. "Dead? By you guys? Don't make me laugh! It is my life's dream to become the big time hot shot! The head hancho, the best of the best, the one who will make it to top with no one st-" Something sharp and skinny swiftly stabbed through the head, neck, torso, and hip of Pablo, having his body limp and blood pouring out from the four spots, making all of us froze with fear.

We turned right to see the adult DeathClaw snarling and glaring at us, its teeth bared and fierce. With one swing of its right arm, it released the now lifeless Pablo away from its class and let out a roar. "Not good..." I whimpered, jumping backwards along with my squad to avoid the DeathClaw's wrath. "Great, looks like Pablo's plan to kill the parent did work out well. Guess we have to do the dirty work or we are goners!" I shot a couple of red beams at the chest, with barely any damage shown on the thick skin.

"Hold on, let me try a shot!" Natalie yelled right beside me. She aimed her weapon at the DeathClaw and shot three rounds on the chest. The three bullets bounced off, having the creature swing its hand at us. Natalie ducked while most of my trench coat go shredded on one side. "Not good, not good!" I saw Natalie running to Veronica, helping her open all of the cages and setting the creatures down on the ground one by one.

I raised my laser rifle back up on the creature, but I winced a the sharp pain being inflicted on the left side where the DeathClaw swiped its claws at. I placed my right hand on my scars, barely feeling any blood seeping out. "Veronica, you better help me out here!" I yelled. "Sooner or later, I'm going to be its next target!"

"Hey!" Veronica shouted while is freeing the unconscious animals. "Why in the world did he got this Tesla Cannon!?" I kept hopping backwards to get away from the DeathClaw, wondering what weapon this Tesla Cannon Veronica blabbered about. A beam of blue electricity shot right at the creature's arm, electrocuting it for a moment. "It works!" Two more were shot right at its head just before it was about to attack me, making the head pop off of its neck.

I screamed and ran several feel from it before the headless body fell down in front of me with a thud that shook the ground beneath our feet. "Holy shit..." I breathed out, wincing after each exhale and turn to see Veronica holding some huge looking weapon over her right shoulder, giving off electricity in the middle portion of the cannon. "Whoa, never seen anything like that."

Veronica nodded. "Yep, this cannon is highly rare to find. The Brotherhood have been looking for this kind of weapon in years. I don't understand how he can obtain..." She lifted up a little small piece of paper off of inside the wooden carriage. "_Use in case of emergencies only._" she quoted. "Well, it's a good thing it was an emergency, otherwise we would all be mincemeat in seconds."

"I'll say!" Natalie popped up beside Veronica. "But, what are we going to do with all of these sleepy creatures here?"

"Probably leave them here," I replied. "who knows if they will be hostile on us if we are to stick around much longer. I'll unhook the harness and the reigns off of the brahmin and set it free. After that, we can head on further to find the vault." I eyed Veronica still holding the huge weapon on her shoulder. "What to do with that is the question, it sure looks too heavy to carry.

Veronica tapped on the cannon several times, having beeping sounds coming after each tap. "I've carried much more heavier machinery than this, Crimson." After a minute of randomly pressing buttons, a couple of straps dropped down from the side of the cannon. "Awesome, just what I am looking for!" She connected the two straps together with a metal buckle in the middle. After that, she slowly put the strap over her right shoulder and her her left arm, securing the canon onto her back. "Now I got something useful in case of more DeathClaws coming here."

"Guys, come look at this!" The sound of Natalie yelling on the other side of the carriage brought our attention. We ran over to where Natalie is, looking at about a few eggs broken in millions of pieces. "It looks like something hatched out of these eggs, but there is one that is not hatched." She knelt down to the sole, motionless egg and tapped it a few times until a little chip off the shell pop off. "Ah!" She brought her arm back to herself. "I-I-I-I didn't mean to do that!"

"No, Natalie!" Veronica went down to Natalie's level to her left. "You're actually helping the little guy hatch out of its shell! Look." She pointed at the moving egg, more cracking noises were heard with thin lines appearing on the shell.

I went to the right of Natalie and went down to my knees to see what animal will come out of the medium sized egg. "I wonder what kind of creature will pop up from the egg." We waited, gazing at the nearly hatched egg. It wiggled, more pieces of the shell fell off and revealed a honey golden color eye. The little arms pushed out, showing a dark, green color on the skin. "Come on, hatch!" I murmured. The egg broke apart, revealing some kind of insect with bright yellow wings flapping rapidly.

"Not good..." Veronica said, eyeing the bug flying in the air and almost struck her with the stinger on the end of its bug behind. "Watch out for the stinger guys, it's highly toxic to just one prick!"

The bug flew to me and tried to sting me with the needle point. It was mere seconds away from my exposed scars on the left side of my midsection. "What is this thing!?" I yelled, batting the huge insect with my laser rifle.

"That's a Cazadore, the most venomous creation in the Mojave!" Natalie yelled, taking out her switchblade from her uniform. The Cazedore stabbed its stinger on Natalie's upper body uniform, making her fall onto the ground. "It hit me, but luckily this uniform is really thick so I won't feel the tip." Just when the frenzied bug was about to impale Natalie with its stinger again, a little, grayish-green kind of animal lunged forward and attacked the Cazadore down to the ground.

I gaze at the tiny reptilian creature ripping off the wings, the skinny legs, and the head off of the Cazadore and with just the body left, it dug its sharp teeth onto the body and began eating it. I couldn't believe my eyes, that little oner manage to take down something roughly around three times its size. "Well, Natalie. Seems like you have a little life saver in front of you."

The little reptile, turning out to be a different kind of gecko, finished eating its prey and turned to Natalie. "A...gecko? A gecko saved my life!?" Natalie's voice squeaked. The gecko walked over to her, making Natalie scoot away from it until she stopped on the side of the wooden carriage. "P-P-Please, I-I-I-I don't want to be your next meal!" She braced herself with her right arm over her face and eyes closed once the gecko is right at her feet. It hopped up onto her lap and looked up, giving only a little chittering sound to her. "H-Huh?" She let her shielding arm dropped and eyed the little gecko.

"Hey," Veronica spoke. "seems like that gecko is very fond of you, Natalie. I have never seen anything like that." She walked over to Natalie and knelt down to get a closer look at the gecko. "Must've imprinted it's gaze at you when it hatched out of one of those eggs we set down. Very odd..." She went to touch the gecko, only to have the little reptile nearly chomp her fingers off. "and very protective. It thinks you are its mother."

I giggled and walked to them. "How can as little gecko consider Natalie the mom? They are two completely different species." I got closer to the three, alerting the gecko to my direction and attacked my leg. "Hey, hey, hey, hey!" I tried shaking the gecko off of my left leg, but the gecko's grip is too strong. "Okay, I take it back! I take it back!"

"Kip, let go of her and come here!" Natalie ordered. The gecko unlatched off of my leg and ran up to its 'mother', giving her a little chittering reply. "Hmm, he listens only to me?" Natalie looked at both me and Veronica, whom are giving her a confused glare. "What? I've always wanted to name a pet Kip. I think it's cute and fitting."

I groaned and facepalmed myself. "Natalie, you can't just name off a wild animal like that. You know it belongs in the wasteland with its family. We have no time to waste, Vault 22 might be around here and we have to make this mission quick before nightfall. You're going to have to let it go."

Natalie stood up and held the gecko by its body. "But, what if this little guy is an orphan!? I can't just let Kip go out in the dangerous wasteland and become either an open target or food for other creatures!" The little gecko licked Natalie's face before licking its own eyeball. "See, he like me! Can I keep him, pleeeeeeeeeeease!?" She begged.

A deep sigh escaped my lungs. "Fine, you can..." I whined. "But if it starts making us its afternoon snack, you have no choice but to release it." I turned around, ignoring Natalie's gleeful sqeal, I see the blue trench coat along with a white cloth attached to some breather at the end. I took off my old, shredded leather coat and replaced it with the blue coat. Then I took the cloth and wrapped it around the back of my neck and attached the other hand on the little item on the front.

"Hey guys, I see a sign up ahead!" Veronica's voice echoed yards from me and Natalie. We all ran to Veronica, who is pointing at some sign with words written on it. Not only that, a faint, light green glow is shinging off in that same area. "I bet that might be the place." She murmured.

"One way to find out." I replied, having all of us running to the sign. As we got closer, we notice some green plant life resting on the brown ground. We slowed to a pace, gazing in awe at the green plants growing everywhere in the small, surrounding area. I turned left to see the sign. "_Stay out! The plants kill_? Wonder what that means..." I also noticed some faint lettering shinging off under the red letter. Walking to it, the letters became a lot more clearer with a gasp coming from as soon as I read them. "Guys, this is Vault 22! We're finally here!"

"It's about time!" Veronica said, making me turn myself to her and Natalie. "So much stalling over some small, petty, wannabe rich person is sure worth the travel. And about the plants, its rare to find healthy plant life in this barren land."

"Well," I spoke, stopping near Veronica. "The sign says that the plants kill, but these plants look really harmless. But..." I slight, sharp pain formed in my head, showing me an image of the same kind of plants in a different area. But what? "I don't know if it's just me, or I am probably suffering from hallucinations. Just looking at these plants, it feels like I've seen them before."

Veronica shrugged her shoulders and walked forward. "Maybe hallucinations." She replied, making me give out an unpleased groan. "Huh, mantis." She stomped on a huge mantis, squishing it onto the ground. "Hey, guys. Might as well kill off these pests as a little warm up."

Natalie set her gecko, Kip, down on the ground. "Okay, Kip. Time to kill off some mantis!" She said, running towards the clustered foliage with Kip at her tail. Natalie stomped down on the mantis head while Kip eats them afterwards.

I stood still, eyeing the two, or three, killing off the mantises with just their feet alone. "Eh, might as well conserve ammo!" I shrugged, running over to them and squash and three huge mantis just before attacking the two. After a little killing spree, I chuckled a little. "Heh, killing off these mantis is so easy, maybe we can be called the exterminators." I eyed the slightly opened vault nearly covered in vines and plants with the number 22 in the middle. "Hope this vault is not like Vault 3."

"We agree." Natalie said. "This time, let's keep our guard up so we won't send up getting captured in there. Or maybe something hurting little Kip!" When she said the gecko's name, it chittered.

"That," Veronica added. "or probably have dislocated or dismembered body parts like hulk and Duster. Or was it Eric?" She is referring to Duster's real name.

I exhaled. "Doesn't matter, we got a mission to complete. I hate having to end up doing more missions that might render me from seeing Benny and get answers from him. Let's get what Hildern want, find Keely, and head back to the camp." I made my way towards the vault door and slid myself through the tight opening.


	34. Chapter 33 - Drawn Within a Hibiscus

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 4-**_

Darkness, only darkness in the small room except for the light through what little gap the Vault 22 door cast. Me, Veronica, and Natalie, along with the newest member of our squad, have now reached our destination. Just one little problem: walking through a pitch black, dark maze in the vault to find what Hildern is looking for AND finding Keely, a scientist Angela asked us to find. "Great, how are we going to find our way through this vault with no light?" Natalie said, her voice echoed in the room. Kip, her newly hatched gecko companion, chittered to its 'mother'.

"No worries," I said, bringing up my left arm with the Pip Boy on it. I pressed the little button on the bottom of the screen to have the device's screen brighten, having the room around us lit up. "it's a good thing my Pip Boy has a built in flashlight." The room we are in is small with a bunch of plant life lying around the floor, roof, and near an opening that leads through a long, flight of stairs to another lower level. "Hmm, I wonder where these stairs lead to?"

"Maybe instead of charging in through the halls," Veronica spoke, walking right past me and around the railing towards a desk with a terminal. "why don't we find some clues into Dr. Keely's whereabouts in this vault." She eyed the terminal beside her. "Hmm, this terminal has a couple of entries posted."

I blew out a harsh sigh. "Why do you want to look at boring entries? Just skim through it and let's get going!" Just as I was about to make my way through the stairs, I hear some growling and tugging on my left pants sleeve. I turned around, seeing the little gecko, Kip, yanking on it with its teeth. "Natalie, I think your pet is hungry."

Natalie crossed her arms. "Kip is no pet!" She clarified, walking over to me and her gecko companion. "Kip is like a child to me. Other than that, he already have his fill of mantis legs before we got in here, and I instructed him to stop you from going further. You might never know what valuable information contained within the terminal might prove us useful in this vault. Reading entries thoroughly is essential to the mission."

I groaned in defeat. "Fiiine..." I rolled my eyes as I said that. I noticed Veronica's eyes are fixed on the green screen in front of her. I walked to her, peeking through to see a little excerpt with a tiny square blinking on the bottom. "Any lucky? Did you find something that seemed useful to our mission?"

Veronica just blinked her eyes, keeping her face forward on the screen. "It's some sort of log from the Keely person the doctor was talking about. It said the logs showed several people entering over the past few months, but none have ever left. It never said any date, that's questionable." She tapped on a button, going back to the two entries from before. "What about this second one?" She tapped the button with a down arrow and then hit enter, showing a much longer entry. "Interesting! '_The growth in the interior matches the exterior to a_ tee.'" Veronica read the entry to us. "_'It's a __little surprising given the scarcity of sunlight in the entrance room, but even more surprising is that they seem to originate from further below. Maybe that fool Hildern was onto something after all.'_"

"Hildern?" I quoted. "_That _Dr. Hildern?" I rest my index on my chin. "Given that Angela mentioning about the mercs coming here and never returning alive, I wonder why Keely wrote about that doc 'being onto something'?"

Veronica held up her hand. "There is more that you need to know." She caught our attention. "_'Since my Pip Boy is on the fritz, I'll try to keep a running log of my discoveries in whatever computers I can find and collate the data before leaving.' _So..." Veronica lift herself away from the terminal and eyed me and Natalie. "these two aren't the only entries in this vault. And neither is this terminal."

"You mentioned something about the computers Keely can find," Natalie added. "there is bound to be more terminals like this in the vault. Maybe down below those flight of stairs Crimson noticed a little bit ago. If we find more of them, that can lead us to Keely!"

"But what about the thing Hildern wanted us to find?" I asked, focusing on the main subject. "Isn't that why we are also here for?"

Veronica was the first to bob her head. "Exactly, but we also agreed in finding the doctor in this vault. Kill two birds with one stone!" She walked away from the terminal and went past me to the stairs on the other side of the room. "Time to explore the vault! Might never know what weapons, medical supplies, or crafting items might be in here!" Veronica tugged and pulled Natalie's arm, who is still holding her gecko in her right arm.

I, on a side note, wish can understand what 'kill two birds with one stone is', but what is a bird? I've never seen anything like that before...or have I? Either way, might mean to find some birds in this vault and kill it with a rock, I think. "Oh well..." I shrugged my shoulders, making my way to the doorway down the stairs to meet up with my partners. I got to the floor in front of the stairs, seeing Natalie tapping on the button to the left of the door labeling 'elevator'.

Natalie tried tapping it a few times, then banged on it twice. "Seems like the elevator is not working. That's a bummer, I hope it'll be our ticket down to the bottom floors." She walked away from the door and looked to her right. "Guess the stairs will be our only option until we figure out a way to fix the elevator."

"I'd wish I can help out," Veronica rubbed the back of her scribe hood. "but I don't know much about fixing any electrical problems. Hell, the Brotherhood never teach me how to fix a stupid toaster! Thinking that I might destroy the thing before I can even touch it." She folded her arms over her chest. "Damn Brotherhood always so protective over small, Pre-War technology..." She followed Natalie to the door, opening it to another set of stairs.

_Pre-War..._I spoke in my subconscious mind. _Wonder what things are like at that time? _As much as I want to stand and ponder about it, but the mission comes first. I proceed my way to the stairs and down to another small floor, turning left to another set of steps leading to a door nearly surrounded by plants. "Hope this is not another door to another set of stairs..." I mumbled. I noticed to my right, on the ceiling, some kind of plant with a pink thing and a skinny stick in the middle surrounded by small, yellow dust. "What's this?"

Natalie already opened the door to my left. "I've read about those kind of flowers in a Pre-War floral book. Just the name of that one, I can't remember what it is. But, we should focus on the mission at hand, Crimson." I hear both my companions footsteps and the chitter from Kip echoing away from me while I gaze upon the 'flower' she mentioned.

I lowered my brows, feeling a wave of befuddle aura coming from the flower I am staring at. I kept staring at it, curious and somehow drawn to the thing every inch I leaned forward. Just then, a mere image of that same flower popped up in my memory with a little inflicted sharp pain in my head. "Gah..." I winced, placing my right hand on my head, eyeing what I see not one, but about seven of the same flower sticking slightly up a shrub with bright, green leaves on it. The setting was unknown other than the bush being in front of a sky color wall.

_"I bet you love staring at the flower, huh?"_ I heard an unknown, female voice echoed to my left. Swiftly turning my head to that direction, I noticed Veronica staring at me with an eyebrow raised. I was reverted back to the Vault 22 setting, the pain faded away from my head. "You okay, Crimson?" She asked. "You seemed to have stared at that flower for a while now. If you like it so much, why not take it with you? Maybe give it to that hulkish boyfriend of yours."

My face flushed with embarrassment. "Craig is _not _my boyfriend!" I protest, snapping the stem inches away from the flower, detaching it from the main vine. The yellow dust floated off of the stem and onto my nose. My nose tickled, eyelids begin to shut slowly, and some kind of force exerted out of my mouth. I really don't like that kind of feeling, even some cold liquid seeping out of my nostrils.

"Gesundheit!" Natalie yelled through the doorway to a small room. "Or was it bless you..."

"Either way," Veronica shrugged, walking over to me and took the flower from my fingers. She raised it up slightly and slid the stem part over my right ear. "There!" She announced, clasping her hands together. "I think it looks cute on you! Pink is definitely your color! I think the hulk will be head over heels if he sees you with that flower on you!"

Again, the blushing formed back on my cheeks. "First, Craig is married! I doubt he will be swoon over a lowly courier with a simple flower on her head so easily. And besides, I don't think pink is the kind of color for me. For some unknown reason, it feels...weird."

Veronica pulled me and dragged me to the room that leads to a three way hallway. "Oh, nonsense! Unless you are some kind of a person called a tomboy, flowers are very likable amongst most to all women...unless they have some allergies to the pollen in the stigma..."

"HIBISCUS!" Natalie popped up right beside me and Veronica out of now where, with Kip on her 1st Recon beret. Just when Natalie did that made both me and Veronica jump out of our boots. "Oh, sorry if I startled you two. That's the name of the flower you have, Crimson! It's an Hibiscus flower, I think I've read where this kind of flower is only native to places that are warm and...tropical? But a flower like that here in the Mojave, it's really between the uncommon-rare section."

I lowered my eyelids partially. "Okay, this kind of nonsense about some stupid flower and whatever you just said Natalie is leading us on a different direction than where we are suppose to go. Can we please change the subject and focus on finding Keeley and the stuff for Hildern?"

"Alright, alright, sorry." Natalie said, turning to the left to a small hallway with plants sticking out the corner. Me and Veronica follow suit, keeping close together if anything were to hit us. "Hmm," Natalie stopped right beside the plants on the corner. Looks like we will be in this vault for a while. And definitely no sign of any hostile targets, so far so good."

I got closer to Natalie when a slight rustling noise is heard near us. It stopped just as soon as I took out my hunting knife. "What the..." I murmured, scanning what little area we are standing on.

"What is it, Crimson?" Veronica asked from behind me. I notice Natalie turning over to my direction in their corner of my right eye.

I signal her and Natalie with my hand up to stay silent. More rustling echoed in the area, coming from the corner right near us. The plants shook and quivered, something rising up from the ground in some green shell. "Holy...hell!?" I backed up, slowly stepping away from the growling creature as it lunged forward at me. Bracing myself, I held my arms over my face while holding onto my knife.

"I'll get this!" The sound of Veronica punching the creature was gruesome. I lowered my arms down to see the green humanoid's head separated away from the rest of its body with some light green ooze seeping out of the severed areas. "Ugh," Veronica waved her right arm down to get the substance off of her Power Fist. "remind me to find something to wipe this disgusting goo off of my arm."

I draw myself closer to the dead creature, observing the tough, dark green skin and spikes poking out of its back. Some kind of green, translucent vapor was emitting off of its skin and rose up to the air, even through me. The vapor was tasteless and didn't give off any smell. "Well, glad we know what we are up against if we are going to kill off in this vault if they dare to attack us again. And the green vapor, I hope it is not harmless."

"But, it's a good thing you alerted us, Crimson." Natalie complemented, letting her gecko down to the floor. "One more inch from that and we wouldn't have been alive right now." I noticed Kip walking over to me and sniffed. "Awww, I think Kip is starting to warm up to you!" Kip kept on sniffing at me before it quickly turned around and ran back to Natalie. "Or...maybe not..."

I shrugged and stood up, sheathing my knife back in its pouch. "No matter. We better keep moving and have our eyes peeled for any of those things we might come across." I took out my laser rifle. "Better armed then amputated..."

"I though it was better armed than not armed at all?" Natalie suggested. "Or maybe better have arms than bei-"

"Let's just get going!" I barked, making Natalie hunched down like an intimidated puppy.

* * *

_-Craig-_

_Damn, I needed that... _I thought to myself once I stepped out of the personal restroom. I've took a long and well deserve shower after all the running and things involving upper body strength during the afternoon. Drops upon drops of water poured down my bare chest to my pants as I walked to the guest room with a towel slung over my right shoulder and placing my beret snug on my shaven head.

"E-Excuse me...sir?" I stopped after hearing a soft spoken, feminine voice whimpered behind me. I turned my head slightly to a shy, glasses wearing woman with light brown short hair. "U-Um...Dr. Frederick has asked for me to give you these pills to help with your arm, sir." She held up the little cup with two, round capsules inside.

I stared at her, exhaling. "I'm fine. Why don't you ask your supervisor to give it to someone else."

The doc pulled her arms back to herself. "B-B-But...he strictly asked me to go find you and give you this medicine for your arm. Says it is mandatory to take them."

I let out a warning groan. "I don't need those. Give them to someone else." As soon as I said that, the shy doctor whimpered and backed away from me. Possibly due to my cold, stern facade. I continued walking forward until I reached the open doorway to the guest room. I noticed Eric, wearing his mid sleeved, turtle neck, navy blue shirt, tan pants and dark brown boots. "Shower's free." I said, planting my ass on the nearest bed, wiping away the water on my chest.

"Naw, pardner." Eric answered, using some cloth to clean his .32 pistol. "Not gon' take a shower 'til th' battalion assignment is over. Just m' way whenever I am mosin' through th' wastes." He spit on the barrel part of his gun and wiped it again to make it glisten in the light, much to my disgust. "There, shiny as th' lights in New Vegas!"

_How disgusting... _I thought, maybe that hint of OCD might've kicked in just as I saw that. I exhaled again before lying flat on my back on the bed. _I wonder what is taking them three so long!? I hope they are not mauled by coyotes. _I wish I can ignore it, but just staying in here without a hint of action outside of camp is making me have an itch that needs scratching. More importantly, I hope _she _is okay without me.

"Ya worried 'bout her?" Eric spoke across from me, referring to Crimson. Probably...

I huffed through my nose and turned my head away from him. "Why do you want to know? You're neither family, friend, nor my superior in a high rank." It's not that I don't want to talk to him, just that I rather not open up to anybody about my problems.

"No need t' shelter yerself away from ev'ryone else." Eric stated. "Member what y' said? Ya tired o' hidin' in th' dark all this time. Y' can tell me, I won' utter a sound t' anyone."

I remained silent for a bit, turning my head to Eric's direction. I shift my gaze at the top bunk bed, furrowed my brows together. "I..." I said. "You can say that I am." I feel a bit vulnerable just as I revealed my slight confession to him. "Her amnesia, I just hope she doesn't stray away from everyone as she might be an open and easy target to anything out in the open wastes. Even from afar, I wish I can just scope out the hostiles and snipe them without hesitation. She..." I trailed off, the vulnerability inside myself has grown intensely. "she's a friend that I trust, but I lost that after I told her about Carla."

"Y' wish t' regain it?" Eric asked, hearing his bed creak. "Trust is purty hard t' obtain, y' know. Believe me, took me several year just t' have them other bounty hunter's trust at th' ranch. In th' wastes, trust can either make 'r break ya with just some deception an'-"

"I know!" I barked, stopping Eric from talking any further. "Deception, that was my first thought when I met Crimson back in Novac. All my mind is full of the Legion, ways of killing them off of this fucking earth. They caused a massive strained in the NCR during my duty, did something that cause me to be a broken down, suicidal sniper." I sighed again, releasing the tension. "Everyday I wish there is some way to rid me off of this damn post apocalyptic wasteland. Either by alcoholism, a bullet to the head, or my head being decapitated by a DeathClaw, the images replaying in my mind and my sleep is going to drive me mad, and you better his before I implant a bullet in between your eyes."

"Understandable." He replied. "I hate Legion with a pasion- how they treat women, torturin' ev'ryone t' th' brink o' death. Thinkin' the male gender is th' dominant gender is loads o' bullshit!"

"E-Excuse me?" I hear the same, frail voice calling from the doorway. I lift myself up and eyed the doctor peeking to the right of the doorway. "I hope I don't mean to intrude, but I have something impo-"

"If it's one of those fucking pills that damn quack of a doctor is trying to give me, I don't need them!" I yelled slightly. "I'll have you know that my arm is perfectly fine and stable. If you don't mind, I a!m about to take a little rest!" I flopped myself back on the bed, bouncing a bit.

I hear a little whimper coming from the doc. "But this is important! I just received word that there is an NCR battalion near Nelson that has been captured by the Legion! And General Hsu himself need you two to head over there right away!"

I brought myself back up to a sitting position, eyeing her with both horror struck and resent. "Leave now, I am going to ready myself and head on over there immediately!" I got up off the bed and slammed the door shut. "Eric, get yourself ready. We're heading to Nelson and help those captive NCR troops!"

"Now, hol' on there, pardner!" I heard his bed creaked, meaning he is already on his feet. "Can we just report to th' head boss o' this place and git Intel on th' emergency mission?"

"No!" I replied, turning to meet the bounty hunter's eyes. "I've fucking risked my life on duty helping those NCR soldiers in war, tending to their wounded and bring them to the medics, and have their back from afar while they run into enemy territory! I'm not going to lie here and let those Legion bastards kill another soldier and have the wasteland paint in their blood!" I walked to the bed and put on pure, white muscle shirt. "Sure they've done some fucked up shit, but I'll be damned if I betrayed them."

Something that sounded like metal hitting each other came from the bed I'm standing next to. A leather strap with two small holsters under each loop and as dark gray, square bandana with thin, white strips doing vertically and horizontally. "What the hell are these? You know I don't wear bandanas and small gun holsters!"

"I know." Eric said, having a lit cigarette in his lips, a red bandana around his neck, leather straps with just one holster to the left, and his small pouch with his spiked brass knuckles. "Maybe luring ol' Crimson should give ya a heads up!" He displayed a thumbs up at mid arm length.

"Tch...I'm not luring anyone, not even Crimson!" I said through my mashed teeth with irritation. I eyed the items on the bed, only taking the bandana and wrapping it around my neck. I also grabbed my rifle with the holster, clipping it and slid the strap over my head to rest on my right shoulder. "We better get going."

"Can't leave without these." Eric held up a pair of sunglasses, much like my previous one that I lost before shoving into the monorail by a Legion spy. "Don' want th' blisterin' sun fry yer eyes out." He gave out a slight chuckle before taking a breath of the nicotine filled stick.

I nod, grabbing the sunglasses and slipping the arms through the space between my head and the top of my ears. "I know the way to Nelson. Best if you follow me there."

"Why's that?" Eric asked, holding the filter part of the cigarette.

"Because" I replied, eyeing him through my new sunglasses. "it's near the place I took residence in."

* * *

_**((Been a while since I've updated my story. I've done all of the Fallout 3 DLCs for THE FIRST TIME! I know, sad isn't it? Well, soon or later I will be having the NV DLCs once in this point in juncture at a certain chapter. Already planned in my mind, just need to keep uploading. Thanks for following, and hope to see you next chapter! -CS))**_


	35. Chapter 34 - Allergies?

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 5-**_

"I'm telling you, Veronica. We are lost." I spoke to Veronica as we stand in a room surrounded by long roots coming up from the ground. There are four vents in each corner, expelling out the green vapor that one green creature had before Veronica killed it. "All we are is just walking around in this second level when you know we past up another set of stairs leading down somewhere."

"And what?" Veronica turned around to meet my eyed. "I am trying to find another terminal in this level so we can get more info on Keeley's whereabouts in this vault. I rather take it step by step than to just rush in and get it done quickly. That's how I learned back when I was still with the Brotherhood."

Natalie, with her gecko companion Kip in her arms, gesture a nod as an agreement to Veronica's statement. "The NCR told me that too. It's like finding out the components of a terminal without being told to." She paused, looking the other direction. "No...that's not right." Kip clicked through his throat, staring up at her.

"Unfortunately." Veronica replied. "To me, it's a treasure hunt until you find the X. But this time, you are looking at entries in different terminals to find more information on a certain person we are looking for. The more terminals we find, the better our minds filled with Intel on our objective!" Veronica turned her head first to the left, then to the right, eyeing the two doors on opposite sides. Either one of these doors will lead to the next terminal."

I took a look at the doors, but mostly at the door to my left. "I have a hunch that it might be through that door." I said, pointed at the west door, grabbing my companion's attention. "Won't hurt to try." I shrugged my shoulders.

Both Veronica and Natalie eyed each other before turning their heads to my direction. "I hope that door doesn't lead us to that nasty, creepy looking monster we encountered minutes ago. I really hate to end up fighting one of them again." Natalie informed, holding her gecko tightly against her arms.

I took my laser rifle out of my holster, making my way to the west wing of the room. "One way to find out." I pressed the button on the left to open the door, revealing a hallway where another closed door is show across from here. I walked forward through the doorway and noticed a window giving off light with some plants sticking up from some kind of box on a table. "Doubt that room is where a working terminal is."

Veronica walked right past me to the door two feet from me. She opened it from one button press, moving her head around to scan the room in front of her. "There is a terminal, but the screen is broken. The rest are a bunch of plants in a bunch of squarish pots. Even one round hole with dirt in it." She turned back around and walked to me. "Let's check the other room, guys."

"Already two steps ahead of you, guys!" The sing-song voice from Natalie made us spin our heads around to an opened door across the room from us. Natalie, with Kip at her feet, waved at us to go to her. "There is a working terminal here in this lab with three entries in it."

"Well, that was quick." I chuckled, running with Veronica across the room to the doorway of the lab. We got to a little room with a couple of small stairs leading down a little narrow space in the middle between two railings on each side. To the right is a desk with a terminal on top along with some glass jars and containers on little metal holders, cluster of papers with some kind of complicating problems with letters and numbers in front of it, and some small glasses with a black frame on it. "Fascinating." I said, referring to the root knotted room around us before I sneezed.

"Bless you, Crimson." Natalie spoke, taking her attention to the terminal in front of her. "Hmm, more entries from Keeley." She tapped on some buttons on the terminal, making one of the entries pop up. "Here's this one: _This level seems to have been devoted to the study of atmospheric effects on plants, with a concentration on producing plants with a high oxygen yield. Given the "problems" those vaults were known to have, it sounds like a reasonable avenue of research._"

I crossed my arms over my chest, lowering my brows after hearing Natalie reading the entry. "Well, that doesn't have any useful clues to get whereabouts other than talking about these stupid plants." I looked around at the small plants in rectangular boxes next to the terminal. "What's so good about those plants anyway?"

"Plants give out oxygen for us to breath." Veronica replied. "And in return, we exerted carbon dioxide out of our lungs, which is highly recommended to the plants everywhere. Without one, there is no other."

"Odd..." Natalie said, reading off a different entry in the terminal. "Hear this: _It's strange, but some sections of the machinery down here appear to have been modified for some unknown purpose. The restraints regarding oxygen content and systemic pressure have been bypassed._" Natalie leaned back on the chair, having Kip hop on her lap. "Bypass...wonder what she means by that."

I shrugged slightly. "Who knows, maybe we will find out while we venture deeper in here. And what about the last entry? Does that contain any important info?"

Natalie leaned forward, giving a few taps on the keyboard. "_I've been hearing a strange chittering sound for some time now,_" she started reading the last entry. "_and finally discovered its source. There's some kinds of giant mantises that've taken up residence in the vault. I almost ran smack into one the other day, but the creatures don't appear to react to my presence at all. Perhaps the others sent here ran afoul of the creatures, but I can't see how a few scattered insects could pose much of a problem to experiences mercs."_

"Giant mantises?" I quoted. "Maybe after hearing that entry, I think that might be the reason to the mercs disappearance or failure to return to Camp McCarren." I felt my nose tickle as another sneeze escaped my mouth. "Ugh..." I felt a little shiver coursing through my spine. "Oooh, is it a little cold in here?" I used my hands to rub my arms to keep it warm, feeling some bumps on them as well."

"Temperature feels fine to me." Veronica answered. "I don't understand how you can become cold when the air is warm and dry here in the Mojave." She looked around the small room. "Then again, maybe the darkness in here is causing the vault to be a little bit cold. But there are also lights, both flood and ultraviolet, and on here."

I shrugged away from the chills to focus on something more important. "Well, whatever it might be, just hope I can pull through it. Right now, we still need to find what we're looking for."

"There is a little flight of stairs that we passed by not too long ago." Natalie pointed out, pushing herself off of the chair with Kip in her arms. She pressed on one of the buttons to turn off the terminal. "Follow me, I think that is our ticket down."

Me and Veronica let Natalie pass by us, letting her lead us back to where we went through. Once we got back to the area with a sign saying stairs, we turned ourselves to the left towards a couple of flights of stairs. "There's the door!" I said as we reached through the second stair set with a door nearly surrounding by plants. Veronica beat me to opening the door to a three way hallway area.

"More stairs up ahead." Natalie said, making her way forward past a huge patch of plants to her left. The plants started quivering and shaking, which I happen to know that kind of sign from before.

"Natalie, watch out!" I yelled, taking out my hunting knife from its sheath and made a run to Natalie. A skinny, green hand was merely inches from Natalie when I stabbed my knife down the head of the green create. The vapor was strong on this one, it made me drop my knife along with it and caused mw to cough.

I felt a hand rubbed against my back. "Crimson, are you okay?"

I covered my mouth with my arm to avoid cough at everyone else. "I'm..." I released a couple of coughs. "I'm fine, just that vapor happened to travel down the wrong pipe in my throat. But what ever that dust is, I hope it is not contagious."

Veronica went to the left direction past me and brought my knife out of the head of the creature. "Better need this if we are ever to find more of them." She sheathed it in my leather knife pouch for me. "Well, that knife and my hard punches will kill them in an instant."

"Guys, I found another working terminal here!" Natalie, for some weird reason, has her head popped through an open doorway just feet north of us. Kip, on the other hand, is chomping on some grass and leaves below our feet. "Kip, are you coming?" Just as soon as Kip's name was called, it chomped on a huge chunk of leaves and sprint to its "mother".

Veronica and I jogged our way to the room, following Natalie over to a working terminal solely on a long table. The large room sure is dark, but lucky for my Pip Boy flashlight. "Anything you find in the terminal?"

I watched Natalie's eyes swiftly moving left and right through one of the entries. "_I've finally found some of the bodies of the scientists that lived here. They appear to be overgrown with some form of lichen. They blend in so well with the other growth that I walked right by several of them without even noticing them. I've taken the proper precautions, but the lichen doesn't seem to be contagious, at least to ghouls._" her brows lowered with confusion. "Lichen? That green stuff that us on the bodies of those creatures that attacks?"

"I wish I know..." Veronica replied. "I'm more of a technology person, not a history teacher or biologist."

"It also said it is not contagious." I said, feeling relieved. "Good, I'm glad that won't affect me from that wierd vapor emitting from those things." Another sneeze was release out of me. I sniffed a few times, rubbing the little mucus that was drooping down my nostrils. "Fuck, why am I still sneezing!?"

"Might be the pollen again from that hibiscus flower." Natalie answered. "That or probably the other flowers in here. Maybe you should get rid of that flower if your allergies progress."

The thought of one option to my so called allergies regarding the flower might be a good idea, but something about the flower had sort of grown to me. Not because of the unknown memory appearing in my subconscious, but the display and the anatomy is breathtaking and exhilarating. _Wait, just how in the hell am I able to think of some big words from my amnesic brain!? _I thought to myself, puzzled at the thought.

"Guys, here's the second entry." Natalie caught my and Veronica's attention instantly. "This_ level appears to be where they performed most of the research NCR is interested in. I've been able to collect a little, but the vast majority of the data from the research done here is inaccessible. I'll have to find the main backup and download from there."_

"Research the NCR is interested in?" I spoke. "Maybe she is referring to what Hildern wanted us to look for. Maybe it might be in the lower levels than here." Out of nowhere, I started coughing really bad, my lungs feel like they are compressed tightly against my chest. "Ugh, that hurts..."

"Are you sure you're okay, Crimson?" Veronica asked. "You don't look too well from the sound of that cough. Maybe you should take it easy for a while."

I shook my head quickly, denying her request for me to rest. "No, I'm fine. It must've been a tickle in my throat that caused me to cough like this. I'll be fine." I don't know if I can be fine. The chills in my spine came back with a little bit of aching on my neck and torso. I can't let this damn allergy whatcha-call-it thing to bring me down and prevent me from finishing the mission.

Natalie pressed the button to shut the terminal off. "Well, we better make it quick if we are ever to find Keeley and the research. Plus," Natalie eyed me. "if your symptoms are going to worsen the deeper we go through this vault, I think we have no choice but to leave you behind for your own safety."

I felt a growl rumble through my throat. "I said I am fucking fine, Natalie! Drop the subject and lets get going." I didn't have Natalie respond to my protest once I turned around and made my way right. I got near a corner where a bush of plants are frowning from, with the little green creature starting to rise from the shrubbery. With one quick movement, I dug my hunting knife down the cranium of its head, having the light green substance ooze down the knife. The same vapor waft upwards towards my face, making me me cough again but harder. "Shit, I need to keep going..." I wheezed.

* * *

_-Craig-_

"Are we almost there?" Eric from behind me groaned. We have just made our way through route to reach Nelson where the one female nurse told me and Eric about the Legion taking some NCR troops hostage.

"We are. Let's take a quick rest before we head back." I spoke. We have just arrived in Novac, the route towards Nelson is just up the road north past the Dino statue I always go to every night on watch. Just thinking about the statue reminds me of my first meeting with Crimson. Just thinking about her makes me wonder how she is doing in her mission. I felt my whole well-being drain down to more of a worrisome mood. Odd...

"Well, well. I've been wondering where you have gone to, Boone." The voice of my former teammate, and friend, Varges was just enough to make me groan and turned to meet his fucking Khan ass eyes. Well, former Khan. "You decided to ditch Crimson and move back over here?"

His smart remark really made my blood boil inside. Ever since he was glad that my wife went missing, I decided to give him the cold shoulder from then on. Now that he mentioned about Crimson, it made matters worse. "Shut your fucking mouth, Varges! I don't need your comments now."

"Ya know 'im?" Eric asked. "Judgin' by th' beret of his, I say y' both were in th' same rank?"

I saw Varges nod to the left corner of my eye. "We were the best of friends once upon a time back in the NCR. But, that's not the point." He turned over to me. "Why come back so soon? Crimson already irritated you enough?"

I leaned against the fence next to the statue, eating an apple I took from the fridge in Camp McCarren. "I said shut up! This has nothing to do with her. She and a couple of companions went on a mission to some place up north while me and Eric here are on our way to Nelson to save a group of NCR troops being held captive by the Legion."

"Nelson, huh?" Varges said, stopping a foot from me. "Why can't you wait for your companion to finish with her mission so she can help you with yours?"

I stayed silent, taking another huge bite from the side of my apple to keep myself quiet from yelling at Varges. I wish he can stay out of my business for once. "Shouldn't you be on watch right now?" I spoke after shoving the remnants into my right cheek.

Varges shrugged. "It's 3:35 p.m. I just got out of my room after a little lunch break in the lobby." I noticed his arms entwined across his broad torso. "Speaking of which, Ms. Crawford went missing for a few days."

One piece of the apple somehow dropped into my throat after hearing the news. I dropped what's left of the apple and bend over to cough out the rest of the bits out of my mouth. I brought myself back up, wiping the saliva off my lips. "Well, that doesn't seem to surprise me. Why tell me that?"

"One if the mercs of this town noticed her head being blown off while standing in front of a rock where some dark haired female was standing with a beret just like ours." He answered. "If my assumption might be correct, and I have not told anyone about this, that you might've got Crimson to pair up with you to find the one who took your wife. So, you're going off manipulating a poor woman just to satisfy your revenge against the Legion?"

The blood boiled even more intensily inside of me. I had no choice, with the mushroom cloud of rage forming in me got me off of the fence and connect my fist onto his face. He tumbled backwards but maintain his footing as his flabbergasting eyes stared directly at me. "Shut up about her, Varges! There is nothing about her that will cause me to twist her amnesiac brain into satisfying my revenge for the Legion!"

Varges kept eyeing me, remaining unmoved even after I told him my protest regarding Crimson. "So, you're going off to love another person you met on the street!? A lowly courier like her? Shit, and I thought Carla was worse when it comes to bitching about this place."

I wish there can be someway for me to fucking decapitate his head off his shoulders with my machete, but about the 'love another person' is what stopped me from doing so. Many times where I want to decline the fact about my feeling for Crimson, but it keeps going at a u-turn and smacks me in the face. "Crimson is not lowly. She is a friend I trust out of anybody I met." I turned around and begin walking forward, past the Dino statue. "Eric, we must leave."

Eric manage to catch up to me, slowly stop to a walking pace a foot to my right. "Right with ya, pardner. Let's go blown off 'em Legion bastard's heads!" He took his pistol out of his holster and gave it a little spin through his left index.

I just nodded, thinking to myself about Crimson now that Varges mentioned her. What have I started to love a lowly courier like her? But...she's not lowly, nor some damn whore like the ones at the Gomorrah Casino. She's much like Carla, but in many different ways. But, I doubt Crimson will ever know my emotion since her mind is more focus on encountering that Benny pansy at The Tops. I took my rifle out of its holster just as we are halfway through the bridge. "Let's go save those troops."

"Mind if I tag along?" I turned around, gazing at Verges walking towards me and Eric with his rifle drawn out of his holster. "For old time sakes?"

I growled, but it would be nice to have more brush down the Legion at a quickened pace. "Fine, just stay out of my fucking sight when I'm scoping!" I answered to him, making him feel all relieved and such. "Let's mow down the Legion, and don't let even one crimson armored bastards run off alive." It feels like I am the leader of my own battalion , but apparently the feeling is not mutual between me and Varges still. But if I die from one of the Legion, I guess that will make things easier for me because of my problems.

But one thing that might prevent me from dying, or going on a suicide mission would probably her. I hate to see myself dying in front her, her untarnished soul underneath those innocent blue eyes and threads of red on her head. What if Varges is right about me? What if I am loving another person: a courier who goes by the name Crimson?


	36. Chapter 35 - Greenscale

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 6-**_

"Shit, there's too much here!" I yelled out loud, shooting off the head from one of the green creature just as it was about to attack me. So far, only just about eight minutes into the damn common rooms of Vault 22 and we are getting out asses kicked by the lichen covered freaks. We just discovered some key card in one of the rooms that leads us to the caverns a floor above us. Right now, me, Veronica, Natalie and Kip are in a bit of a predicament.

Veronica punched out one of the strange humanoid's head, leaving more of the lime colored ooze on her Power Fist. "That's what we get for trying to sneak past the patch of foliage. Apparently just the slightest of sound through the plants will even make them wake up. I think they are light sleepers..." She kicked away one that lunged forward at her over the middle bench. "Darn, it's like they are multiplying by something here, but what is making them pop out of nowhere?!"

Natalie has her shotgun out, trying to keep her gecko companion, Kip, from getting hurt from the abominations. "If only we got something to exterminate this group of pests, but how!?" She backed away until she bumped into a closed door we haven't gotten into. "Huh?" She opened up the door and looked inside. "Keep those things at bay! I'll look in here for anything useful!" She and Kip sprint inside the undiscovered room.

"Yeah, leave us to fucking deal with these things. We don't fucking mind at all!' I made a sarcastic remark out loud. "Natalie better hurry up and bring what she finds." I took my hunting knife out of the sheath and stabbed a couple through the heads. The same green vapor lifting away from their bodies got into my lungs as soon as I breathed in. I fell to my knees, experience the worse cough I have along with pains in my chest and unexpected chills on my body. _Fuck, what the hell is going on with me!? _I thought.

"I got you." Veronica got in front of me to protect mw from the creatures attacking us. One punch after another, she tried her luck eradicating the things to buy Natalie some time. "Crimson, you better pull yourself together. I don't think my Power Fist's condition will last any much longer with these things."

I don't know if I have enough strength to lift my aching ass up off the darkened, cold floor below me. Picking up my hunting knife and pushing myself off the floor, I shoved Veronica out of my line of sight and thrust the knife down the cranium. "Die, bitch!" I wheezed and huffed heavily. I fell back onto my knees, still inhaling the vapors from the harden, semi-scaly skin that made me cough even more.

"Move out of the way, guys!" Natalie yelled from behind me. "I don't want you becoming charred bodies in a matter of seconds." I turned around, seeing Natalie holding something with a little flame on the nozzle of the big barrel portion of the weapon. The other half on her back is gray, round, and almost cylindrical with two containers on each side. "Have a taste of the Flamer, freaks!" With a pull of the trigger, a stream if flame pushed forward to the creatures on front of us, instantly killing them to my surprise.

"Well, if fire kills plants, maybe it kills those things, too." Veronica spoke. I felt her hands grabbing my right and and slung it around the back of her neck. "I'll take her upstairs to rest a bit, try to extinguish of any remaining things around this level, okay?"

"Will do, just make sure Crimson rest for a bit before we head back upstairs to the caverns." Natalie replied, hearing the Flamer being ignited at the creatures.

Veronica held me up with all her strength as we head back to the way we came to the floor above us. Even with my weight, I doubt there is any complaining from her when we got up the stairs. I have no clue why I am so weak, my body aching from each step I take is unbearable. I huffed, taking the remainder of my strength on my feet and walk past the projector Natalie named a while ago to the little eating area across the large corridor. "Hold on, we are almost there. Just hang on for a few seconds." Veronica informed me.

I wish I can, but as weak as I am thus far, my legs gave out. I landed on my knees just as we are about feet away from the doorway to the left of us. "Can't...go on..." I huffed and wheezed, falling down to the floor on my left side of my body, shaking at a continuous but mild rate.

"Hold up, Crimson. Can't let you lie on the hard floors." I felt a couple of arms slip under my legs and back, hoisting me up into the air as I am slowly being carried forward through the doorway to the left. "There..." It was Veronica that was carrying me, and setting me down to where I am leaning against the wall on the soft, red cushioned, long chair. "Man, you don't look well. I doubt it is the radiation that is making you look as white as an albino Radscorpion, and I have never seen those things before besides books."

As much as I wanted to shut Veronica's mouth up and keep her comments to herself, but with the condition I am in I don't think I have the strength to even talk. Each inhale I take makes my chest and body ache. I opened my eyes, dizzy as I seem to be, and eyed Veronica. "Th...Thanks..." That's about the only thing I can say through my weary voice.

"It'll be a while for Natalie and Kip to burn down those things with just a Flamer. While we are at it, I might as well find something to eat and drink." Veronica said, looking around the little area around us. "Ooh! Nuka-Cola bottles, my favorite!" She eyed three dark colored bottles on a table across from me.

"Nuka...Cola?" I squeaked. I have never heard of a drink like that other than those Sunset Sarsaparilla beverage that appeared in my memory clip. "Aren't they suppose to be those Sarsaparilla drinks?"

Veronica grabbed the three bottles and set them on the table beside me, sitting on the opposite chair after that. "Nope, Nuka-Cola is what they are called. They are quite rare over here, unlike that Sarsaparilla Star bottle cap you got as a necklace. Just one sip of it and your taste buds will be exploring numerous fruit flavors. Not to mention they are flat and a tiny bit irradiated. But who can not resist one of these?" She popped off the bottle cap with just her hand and took a few huge gulps. "Yummy!"

"Nuka-Cola!?" The sound of Natalie's squealing voice almost made me jump off the long chair as soon as she popped up from the doorway. "Oh may, I haven't had one of these since I was thirteen when my father and mother at that time were moving into New Vegas!" She walked forward, but stopped just two feet from me with a look as if she has seen something wrong with me, which that might be it. "My, my, Crimson. Are you okay? You don't look so good."

I glared at Natalie and groaned, shifting myself up to grab one if the dark colored liquid bottles with my shaking, weak left arm. "I'm fine, I just need to rest a little." My voice don't sound that enthusiastic, nor that clear because of the immense amount of that green vapor floating around in my lungs. I don't know why that substance has to do with what condition I am in right now, but I hope I can pull through. "Well," I spoke, really hoarsely as I twist my body to have my feet propped on the floor. "what's next on our agenda?"

Veronica took another sip from the bottle and chomp on some small, reptile kind if thing on a stick. "Well, we got the key card from one if the rooms that'll open up the door to the caverns. I'm betting Keeley might be stuck in there. Just hope she is still alive right now."

Natalie gave Kip, who hopped on her lap, a piece of a long, bended leg that looked like it came from a mantis. "Plus," she spoke, trying to push the contents of the bits of meat in her right cheek to talk. "we still need to find whatever research Dr. Hildern has wanted us to search for. But, with your condition Crimson, it'll be a while." Kip chittered a little, taking another bite of the mantis leg.

I coughed a little, even spitting some glowing green mucus out of my mouth. Ugh, that tasted bitter. "I'll be fine, just need a little rest from the mission. Maybe I'm just feeling a little under the weather nowadays." I took the last unopened Nuka-Cola bottle and tried opening it with my bare hand. I struggled, grunting as I tried to twist the damn bottle cap off of the bottle. "A...little help!" I knew I don't have enough strength to even take one simple bottle cap off of a glass bottle.

Natalie snatched the bottle off my hand and used some little tool and bend the bottle cap backwards in a right angle before it was completely popped off. "Here you go. You can keep the bottle cap opener and the cap. I've already got one other opener like that in my pocket."

"Thanks, Natalie." I wheezed, along with coughing up more green mucus our of my mouth. After putting the opener and the cap in my little bottle cap pouch, I took a little sip of the dark colored beverage, smacking my tongue against the roof of my mouth to determined its taste. My eyes widen at the drink, lifting it back up to my lips to take several more sips of it. "Wow! I have never tasted anything like this before! This is delicious!" I took several huge gulps from the irradiated aftertaste drink before eyeing my companions, whom in fact are staring at me. I place the half filled glass bottle on the table to glare back at the two. "What?"

Both Veronica and Natalie eyed me in horror, leaning back against the back of the long chair as if I am about to lean forward and slid their throats with my hunting knife. Natalie gulped, her hand shaking as she raised it up and pointed at me. "H-H-H-Has that patch of green been on your cheek this whole time?" She whimpered.

"Green...patch?" I said, hoarsely. I lift my hand up, feeling it shaking a little, and touched the right side of me cheek. But there is nothing but smooth skin. "I don't think I have a patch on my face." I even touched the left side of my face, nothing.

"Hold on." Veronica got up off the chair and sprinted out of the room. She made a hard left through the doorway with her footsteps faintly echoing away from us.

Natalie reached her arm to be and placed I on my forehead. "Oh my, Crimson." She took back her hand before feeding her gecko another mantis leg. "You really are burning up. You're probably as hot as the fire on my Flamer." I shot her an unenthused glare as if she was giving off a bad joke. "Not saying it's a joke, but I am really worried about you..."

I turned away and fixed my eyes at the doorway, a huge sneeze escaped from my mouth. Sniffling and shivering, I tried hugging myself to keep myself warm, which I doubt will work anytime soon. "I...I w-w-wonder...what V-V-Veronica is g-g-going to get..." Even my bottom jaw is trembling and tapping my top teeth rapidly. Fuck, I can't keep control of my body temperature.

An alarming sound of some glass being shattered from another area near here. "Just a second!" Veronica yelled, her footsteps coming back to us. She appeared through the doorway holding something in both of her hands as she ran towards me. "I think you need to see for yourself." She held up the mirror up to show my reflection.

I took one glance, but a glance was all I need to snap my neck at my horrendously, pale face with a patch of green on my cheeks. "Wh-Wh-What th-th-th-the f-f-f-fuck!?" I trembled, feeling a portion if my cheeks shifting for some reason. I turned my head to show my right cheek near the mirror, seeing some kind of scaly pattern appearing all over the green patch. I suddenly began hyperventilating. "No...no! What is happening to me!? What the fuck is going on with me!" I yelled, tears began forming out of the corners of my eyes.

"Crimson, calm down, please." Natalie spoke softly. "There is no reason to start getting paranoid by some green patches." She held onto Kip in her arms, pushing herself off of the chair to stand next to Veronica. "But we really need to find Keeley as soon as possible before Crimson's condition worsens by the minute. Who knows what will happen to her!"

I trembled vigorously, propping both my hands on both the table and the head of the chair and hoisted myself off the seat with what little strength I still got in my arms. My body ached more, I feel like falling forward once I got onto my feet, but luckily both Natalie and Veronica grabbed both my arms and slung it over their shoulders. "We better make this mission a quick one and find Keeley right away if we are ever going to get you better Crimson." Veronica spoke before she and Natalie took a step forward.

A small whimper was heard near Natalie's feet. "I know, Kip. I'm worried about her, too." Natalie spoke, probably to her gecko companion. Man, that's one smart gecko she has with her. I wish I have a pet like Natalie's, that way he or she will protect me from anything.

* * *

We got back to the same route we took to walk our way to the metal door that covers the entrance into the caverns. Natalie and Veronica still kept a good hold of me when we are mere feet from the door. Apparently my condition worsened a bit: more green scaly patches began forming on my bare shoulders, sweat began pouting down my face, my body is still aching bit very immense, and I am getting weaker and weaker every second I take in this vault. "Are...we there?" I whispered weakly.

"We are, just hang in there." Veronica spoke, taking my arm off of her shoulders. Something of a click and tapping sound was semi-audible near me followed by something metal grinding in front. "Alright, got it open." Her footsteps came towards me as I felt my left arm slung over her shoulders again. "One step at a time..." We all began walking again into the caverns.

I don't know what's worse in this mission: finding Keeley in this confusing maze of a vault or me ending up highly ill for some unknown reason whatsoever. Each step they took only made matters worse due to my whole body being so limp and sore. "Hey, some mantises." Natalie informed. "Kip, go take care of them while we set Crimson down for a moment." I can hear Kip chittered a reply at its mother as I was being propped down against the rocky walls.

"This doesn't look well, the trail here is probably long and hazardous, not to mention filled with mantises probably." Veronica spoke, probably to Natalie. "It'll be a while if we are ever going to find Keeley here if Crimson is too weak to stand up."

"I have an idea. But it might be a bit risky." Natalie implied. "One of us has to stay here and keep an eye on Crimson and monitor her status, while the other can run deeper into the caverns and find Keeley as fast as possible."

"I wish that can be possible," Veronica replied. "but we don't know if any more of those humanoid things will pop up out of the plants and kill Crimson here. I guess I will have to carry her on my back while we make a run deeper in here. You and Kip can be in front of me in case anything dares to attack either one of us. Win-win?"

A short silence filled the air, making me a little curious to what Natalie is thinking in her mind about Veronica's suggestion. "Might as well go with your option for right now. Let's hurry!"

I tried my best to keep my eyelids open, but because of the drowsiness, it slowly shut itself closed. "Allioop!" My eyes went wide open again when I felt myself being slung up onto Veronica's back to the point of me hurling the Nuka-Cola out of my stomach. "Hang tight, this'll be a bumpy ride!" Veronica warned, but the warning didn't sit well with me once she started running forward. Twist, turns, dodging and near tripping isn't what I was expecting in this gut retching ride on her back.

"Up the hill!" Natalie shouted, giving off a couple of shots at something. "Two huge mantises down!" I didn't know what she meant, but I felt Veronica's upper body leaned forward with her legs pushed up on a steep incline I noticed as I opened one of my tired eyes. The incline wasn't that long, thank goodness, and so was the running pace.

I moaned and lifted my head up to see a vast area filled with a dark green fog in the air. But the question is when I looked at the edge of the cliff on how the four of us are going to reach down to the ground if there is nothing in front of us to help up land safely there. I looked left, seeing a small, narrow, rocky ramp that leads to the lower level of the cavern. "How...about..." I whispered, but all I can do as of this moment is to point at the ramp to bring both Veronica and Natalie's attention to it.

"A good idea, Crimson." Veronica agreed. "But the path is a bit steep. I'll just have to try taking one step at a time. Of course, with you on my back, that's a challenge because of the state you are in I'm afraid I will accidently trip and let you fall down with a broken limb or two."

I growled, wrapping my arm near tightly around her neck to keep my hold of her. "Just...be careful..." I grumbled, betting Veronica can understand me through my slumped head with my lips in her hood. The sound of some scuffling under me indicates that Veronica is slowly sliding her foot through the ground to the steep ramp.

"Be careful, guys." Natalie's worrisome voice trailed from my right. "I'll be right behind you in case anything happens to both of you."

I quickly opened my eyes again, huffing and puffing heavily as I watch every careful footstep Veronica slid in the incline. But my vision, however, is started to get a little blurry. Not to mention that everything I see in the area is swirling around uncontrollably. _What's...happening? _I thought to myself just as I shut my eyes tight and groan. Everything is spinning, my whole body feels like it's spinning even whole I'm on Veronica. I reopened my eyes, my vision still blurry but everything at a different color. Something hissed, making me twist my head in different directions until I saw one of those lichen creatures with wings as it attacks me. "NO, GET AWAY FROM ME YOU DAMN FLYING LICHEN THING!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"What ha-WHOA!" Veronica somehow to a misstep on the ramp, thus having our bodies leaned forward as we plummet face first towards the ground. We kept falling closer and closer to the ground until something caught us on out abdomens just as our heads are a about a foot from touching the ground. Something, or someone, lowered us carefully to where Veronica is lying on her belly, with me still on her back.

"Whew, glad my rope tying skills haven't failed me with these brittle arms." A hoarsely, Ghoul-like voice sounded from behind us. "I'm surprised that with all those mishaps that happened back in the upper levels of the vault, you three manage to survive. And I suppose the NCR has ordered you three to come find me down here, right?"

Veronica shift me to my side and let go to stand on her feet. "Yes, apparently. Dr. Angela asked us to come find a person named Keeley. Is she around here?"

I slowly turned myself to my ever aching back, seeing both Natalie, with Kip in her arms, and a female Ghoul walking carefully down the slope to the ground. "I happened to be Keeley. Yeah, I know it's hard to look at a Ghoul such as myself, but I'm not mindless like those ferals you see wandering around the wastes, killing those that are not of their kind.. But, Angela, you say?" She gave a little chuckle. "She's is so thoughtful unlike her pedant she is currently working for."

"Umm, Keeley, ma'am?" Natalie spoke, grabbing the ghoul's attention. "Apparently our friend on the ground needs some help. Do you think you can find the problem to her condition?

I looked at Keely, who also took a quick look at me and stood horrified. "Oh no, not another one..."

"Huh?" Both Natalie and Veronica eyed Keeley with confusion.

I lowered my eyebrows, confused at what Keeley said. "Wha-" I was about to speak, but the wave of the aching coughing overfilled me. I remained on my back, groaning and teeth chattering from shivering.

"Damn it..." Keeley ran up to me and went on her knees as one of her fleshy hands grabbed a hold of my frail left wrist and counted, to my confusion. "Great, her heart rate is sky rocketing, and her respiration is fluctuating at a dangerous rate." She turned to Natalie. "Has she inhaled any green spore from those Spore Carriers in the upper levels?"

"Umm..." Natalie spoke. "Well, I always thought it was the hibiscus flower on her ear would be the cause of her allergies-"

"This is no case of any allergy, ma'am." Keeley interrupted her as she put my wrist down and placed her hand on my forehead. "Running a high temp, countless Goosebumps and teeth chattering from chills, paleness and..." She stopped talking and gasped. "several green patches of a scale pattern on the exposed skin?" She went dead silent for a second. "She's already on the third stage of the Dexcrobis Hibcus. We need to tend to her immediately before she reaches to the final stages!"

"Dexcrobis Hibcus?" Natalie was the first to ask about the fancy words. "What is that?"

Keeley sighed and shook her head. "Dexcrobis Hibcus, also known as the Greenscale disease. It only attacks those who have a mild to a weak immune system, mainly those who develop a cold or the bug virus moments before that. Only way to be effected by the Dexcrobis Hibcus is if you inhaled the thin cloud of vapor emitting off of the hard skin if the Spore Carriers."

"So, that would explain why Crimson was coughing too much when she was near those things as soon as she killed about five of them." Veronica replied.

"Five!? This is worse than I thought." Keeley warned. "Having too much of that inside of her lungs is fatal and near untreatable. She has nearly all of the symptoms to the disease, but I must ask if she has seen anything that you two have not?"

Everything is dead silent for a while, except for my chattering teeth that is echoing in what little area we are all in. "Well," Veronica began to reply. "She did mentioned something about that spore thing with wings on its back attack her while I had her on my back. What about it?"

"Damn it..." Keeley growled. "She's developing some delusional symptoms as of now. That one of the conditions in the third stage of the disease. We need to get to the lab immediately and put her in a comatose state while I run so-"

"No..." I groaned, having enough of being unconscious for one day or two. I started shaking my head as the wave of dizziness returns with my eyes closed. Everything was spinning again, making my stomach churn because of that. I reopened my eyes to see Feral Ghouls looking down at me. My eyes widen as I tumbled away from them and drew out my hunting knife from its sheath. I huffed and puffed, seeing the Ghouls walking towards me with their hand reaching towards me. "Stay back! I'm not afraid to slice you all to mince meat!"

"Crimson!?" The Ghoul in the middle with the voice of Natalie spoke. "What's going on!" Why are you acting like this!?"

"That's one of the symptoms I'm afraid will come about." The ghoul on the left with Keeley's voice spoke. "She's experiencing both paranoia and delusions. Next thing you know, she'll end up attacking us from madness. We need to pin her down so I put her to sleep."

"No way in fucking hell would you freaks decide to attack me!" I yelled, lunged myself forward and swung my knife around at the ghouls. "Damn kt, fucking hold still!" I kept swinging and swinging at them, but they just kept dodging at any direction at a fast rate. I'm not going to let these Ghouls fool me into thinking they are my friends. "Whatever you did with my friends, I'll fucking kill you for that!"

The feral to the right came really close to me. "Crimson, it's us! Natalie, Keeley and Veronica. We need to treat you immediately or you'll never come back!"

I growled as a warning at the ghoul, but seeing how I am highly scared to have them near me, I grabbed its wrist and yanked it to make it tumble feet from me. I turned back around to the remaining two ghouls coming towards me. "Okay, who's next!" I held my hunting knife at them, huffing and puffing with something shifting in my skin.

"No, the fourth stage is starting to show!" The one with Keeley's yelled. "Look, I don't care if she's your friend or not, but you must knock her out before she turns into one of the carriers!"

"I'm not going to fall for your damn lies, freaks!' I yelled, huffing more and more with rage. "I wont be subjected to your words! DIE!" I pulled my hand with my knife back to draw an attack on them.

"Sorry, I guess I got no choice!" The voice of Veronica sounded from behind made me stop in my tracks. "You can be mad at me once you wake up." Confused, I turned around to meet Veronica's gaze, only to have the ghoul's hand hit the left side of my face so hard to the point of me landing on the ground with a thud.

"The disease is spreading!" Keeley's voice echoed as my vision begins to fade. "We need to treat her fast or it'll be too late! Come with me!" That was the last thing I remember before slipping away to darkness.


	37. Chapter 36 - Life Comes with Sacrifices

_**-There Stands the Grass Pt. 7-**_

_Am I dead!? _Either I have turned into those Spore Carriers and my soul has drifted into the hellish darkness, or I might be experiencing another memory clip without the picture. All I could remember before I was knocked out were three Feral Ghouls appearing in place of Natalie, Veronica, and the missing scientist Keeley with their voices trying to corner and attack me. But the one with Keeley's voice mentioned something about me having bother paranoia and delusions...whatever the hell they are.

_"Is she going to be fine?" _I heard Natalie's worried tone escaping through her breath when she asked that. Is she nearby? Why can't I move or do anything to reply? Am I still unconscious or is this a dream!?

_"I'm not so sure unless she wakes up," _I heard Keeley spoke next. _"Though I have exactly no estimate on how long she will be in this state, but all we have to do is hope for the best. In the meantime, I need you both to do something in the fifth lower level of the vault."_

Wait, Keeley wants both Natalie and Veronica to go down to the fifth level without me!? _They can't do that! What if they will catch the Greenscale like I have if they encounter more of those Spore Carriers there!? _Great, if I am awake right now, I'll try every way to prevent them from doing so.

_"I'm sorry, Ms. Keeley." _Now Veronica is the next to speak. _"Crimson is part of our battalion under the general's orders. We are not leaving her behind, even if she is like that. We will wait as long as we can until she wakes up."_

_Veronica!? _I'm surprised at her choice yo stay behind. Just then, I felt something touched my left wrist, fingers pressing on it tightly with my pulse tapping at a steady rhythm. The fingers I'm feeling are rugged and fleshy...must be Keeley's.

_"You're lucky you got comrades that are willing to stay by your side, even when it comes to difficult situations like thi_s." Keeley let my left arm down and rest on something soft. "I doubt if the numbness has subsided or not," her voice is now even clearer for me to hear. "but I'll keep monitoring her while you two go to the Pest Control area in the fifth floor."

I can't take being a burden to both of my comrades while they go and walk into harm's way. We are part of a battalion sent by Hsu, and we must do this together. "Hey, Crimson's waking up!" Natalie shrieked with happiness.

I moaned a little, shifting my head a little to the left as I slowly opened my eyes to the three kneeling near me. My vision cleared up, revealing Natalie's and Veronica's happy faces. Keeley, on the other hand, deeply sighed in relief. "Thank goodness one manage to survive it." Keeley said, giving a little chuckle. "Actually, you are the very first patient to ever survive the Dexcrobis Hibcus in my eyes."

"Huh?" I spoke, my voice not so weak and hoarsely line before. I feel no shivering, aches, nor anything of my skin shifting to a scale pattern. I used my arms and slowly brought myself up to sit up but apparently some dizziness and my slightly weak arms almost made me flop back onto the bed, thank goodness for Keeley being near me.

"Easy there." Keeley held me up with her hand on my back. Apparently my blue coat is hung on the wall to my left. "You don't want to overexert yourself and move so quickly after an hour and a half of being sedated."

I eyed Keeley and chuckled a bit. "At least it's not three hours." I continued to laugh, laughing a lot without feeling any body aches or pain in my chest. Plus, I might've got my strength back, but not for long when both Natalie and Veronica lunged forward and hugged me tightly. Their weight caused me to flop back onto the bed under me.

"I can't believe you are okay, Crimson!" Natalie squealed as her arms tightened around my neck. I heard Kip chitter beside us happily.

"I'm with Natalie on this! We were so worried you would be turned into a Spore Carrier!" Veronica's arms were wrapped around my torso, squeezing it inch by inch to where I started losing my breath by both of their tight holds. "Oh, sorry, Crimson." Veronica first release her hold and took a crawl back to let Natalie release hers.

"Seems like my little concoction of an antidote really worked." Keeley held up a small tube with some light green liquid inside it. "Whoever knew a mixture of a Stimpak, Metant powder and mantis slime can cure the Greenscale. Good thing that bastard Hildern couldn't think of anything like this with that damn small brain the size of a gecko of his." She placed the little tube on a holder to her right before turning back to us. "But right now, we got more important things to worry about than a friendly reunion. We need to get rid of this plant problem immediately before it become more of a problem."

I turned around to Keeley with confusion as I got back up to a sitting position. "What's going on with the plants? Why is it such a problem here, couldn't we just at least bring you out of this vault and take you back to Camp McCarran?"

Keeley just shook her head and stood up. "I'm afraid there are still some problems lurking in this vault." Her ghoulish voice sounded grave for some reason. "The plants aren't even a problem, its the hazardous pollen that harbors on the plants is what poses a threat. They came from the same Spore Carriers that you apparently inhaled too much of that were hiding in the plants, that pollen alone is highly toxic to humans. Fortunately, while I've been in my stay within the caverns, I was able to experiment an antidote with mantis liquid, Stimpak liquid, and powder from the Metants in case any other mercs decide to scurry on over here. And you, my friend, are the first to have the prototype antidote in you, concluding as a success. And," she held up a messed up flower that was suppose to be on my ear. "sorry about your hibiscus flower, I had to use the petals and stems to sterilize the antidote."

Although I wanted to argue about Keeley making me into a science experiment without my permission, but on the other hand I do owe her from preventing me to be one of the Spore Carrier things. "So, what do you want us to do then?"

"Down in the fifth floor somewhere I manage to filled the vents up with flammable gas in one of the corners." Keeley explained. "With that, once ignited, it'll send off a huge wave of fire through all of the toxic pollen covered plants and burn them off completely. But the main factor of this whole thing is the three of you surviving the flames."

"Wait," Veronica got Keeley's attention. "So what you are saying is that there might be a minute chance of surviving a fire if we are ever to ignite it? How are we going to find ourselves shelter from such a blast?"

"I'm sorry," Keeley apologized, crossing her arms. "I wish I can help you out a little more, but that problem you are going to find out yourself. In the meantime, there are a few possible choices in igniting the gas such as grenades, a huge gun that shoots off fire like the Flamer, and Energy Weapons like the laser rifle. Only thing I can't guarantee is your safety. You better head over there right away and conclude the problem before it proceeds."

"But what about the pollen?" I asked. "Would that still go within our system if we were ever to inhale it?" I don't want to relive the situation of turning into the Spore Carriers again, not foe a million years or so.

Keely waved a hand slowly. "Not to worry. Thankfully, with enough of the antidote I still have, I put them in all of your blood systems in case you get infected, but it'll stay active for a limited time. Now go, the elevator is back and running now. That'll make it easy for you guys to go instead if the stairs." Keeley turned to walk to the terminal behind her.

I stood up slowly to my feet and carefully walked up to my companions and exhaled. "Well, guess we got no choice. Even if we get burn to a crisp there, at least the pollen will be rid of for no other person to contract it."

Natalie and Veronica nod together. Natalie kept a good hold of her gecko, Kip, while her face dropped. "Well, I guess in some missions there comes a time where we have to make sacrifices for the greater good of all people in the wasteland. This time, it's to make sure no epidemic will happen if one single floating pollen leaves the vault. Right, Kip?" She eyed her companion, who chittered a reply in return.

"Then let's get in with it." Veronica sighed. "But, at least I'll be burned to death with a couple of new friends I made instead of being alone." I don't know if I should laugh or groan at the comment. Either way, we turned ourselves around and made for the elevator.

* * *

We've reached to the fifth floor of the vault as instructed by Keeley, but now we're trying to walk through this confusing maze of a floor to the area where the damn gas is located. In and our of the room doors, passing through numerous foliage, walking very slowly and quietly to not make a sound, we reached to a hallway towards a dead end. "Great, it'll be awhile to find the damn gas..."

"Well, finding something invisible to the naked eye like that wont be easy." Veronica implied. "I mean, you can't just use your eyes to find such a thing, there are other senses that you can use to find it. Like-" she stopped, some kind of sniffing sound came from her for a short time. "The gas is this way." She pointed forward towards the end of the hallway.

I took a small sniff to confirmed Veronica's direction of the scent. "Ugh..." Just the small smell of the gas made me stop shortly after a few sniffs. "Yep, that might be it." I said, covering my nice with my right hand. The three if us ran our way to the end of the hallway where some kind of translucent vapor is swirling around the space near the vents.

"Yep, that's the gas alright." Natalie spoke through her hand covering her nice and mouth. "But the question is, how to protect ourselves without getting charred?" She turned to me and Veronica. "Any suggestions?"

"Maybe if we can find some hard metal slab from the walls." Veronica suggested, pointing at the wall to our right. "I can hold that up and act that as a shield. What do you think, guys?"

I eyed the huge metal slab on the floor where the gas is hovering over. "Hey, could that metal plate be big enough to protect all four of us?" I walked up to it, covering my mouth with the broken breather accessory attached to the cloth, and lift up the left side of the slab to make it stand up.

"Hmm, seems plausible." Natalie said, sound like she is agreeing to the idea. "I remember back in training that there were two NCR soldiers testing out a prototype, steel shield in case if any Legion goons decide yo Amish any of us in the camps or at war." She walked over and knocked on the slab twice, making a metallic noise echo on it. "They were like this, apparently: strong, sturdy, heat-resistant, and the appropriate thickness of the shield. Bu-"

"Oh, goodie goodie!" Veronica shout with glee, making Natalie silent. "Alright, what we need to do is stand about halfway in the hallway while holding this in front of us. Either you or Natalie can use any weapon to ignite the gas. Once ignited, we will huddle ourselves tog-"

"HOLD IT!" Natalie bellowed in Veronica's ear. "Obviously, you haven't stopped to listen what I was about to say about the prototype shields." Me and Veronica eyed Natalie, then at each other before looking back at her again. Natalie exhaled and cleared her throat. "As I was saying, this metal slab has all the requirements the shield had, _BUT _it didn't prevent the fire from sliding through the sides and onto the soldier when using a Flamer."

"Shit..." I cringed and gulped. "What happened to the soldier that was using the shield?"

Natalie shook her head and crossed her arms. "He suffered from severe third degree burns. Wasn't a happy sight to see, even when being on the medical bed. But..." She went dead silent, which probably means there is something bad that she had seen during that time. "because of the severe burns all over his skin, he didn't make it in time..."

I kept holding the metal plate up with a distraught atmosphere swirling all around us, besides the gas fumes. I shift the slab away from the gaseous area and places it on the wall to the right. "Well, there goes that idea." I turned around to meet the eyes of my companions behind me, until I notice a small hallway with an opened door across the way. "Hey guys, what's behind that door?"

Both Veronica and Natalie turned around to the same direction I am look at. "Crimson," Natalie turned back to me while keeping Kip in her arms. "this is no time to explore new rooms. We need to find a possible way of protecting ourselves from the ignited gas."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Hey, undiscovered rooms might mean something useful, you know." I turned to Veronica. "Want to check the room out?"

"I'm telling you guys," Natalie said, putting Kip down to the floor. "we need to find a way to keep ourselves alive from the fire." She huffed and groaned. "Fine, you two go on ahead to the room. While you're there, I'll try and find a solution to our predicament, but make it quick."

I just nod my head only once to her. "We won't." With Veronica at my side, we walked past Natalie and Kip to the unopened door in the little hallway. Veronica beat me to pressing the button on the left side to make the door lift up, revealing a small room with control panels on the walls. "Wow, looked like this room has been untouched for quite some time."

"I agree, not a plant or Spore Carrier here." Veronica walked in, scanning the area left and right thoroughly in awe. "Imagine the Brotherhood coming down here and seeing this technology. Every ounce of this would be torn down and be transferred to the bunker for further observations." She kept walking until she stopped where some kind of wall terminal is at. "Hmm..." She tapped on the red buttons as little words appeared on the screen. "Crimson, I think I found the thing that Hildern guy was looking for."

My eyebrows raised up automatically. "Really?" I ran over to Veronica and eyed the screen that has "Pest Control Research" on it. "This might be the one..." I tapped on the down arrow and pressed enter on the section, leading me to an option saying "Begin Downloading Data" on it. I took one of the cords and attached it to my Pip Boy before approving the download. The process of it is a bit slow. "This may take a while."

"Any luck in this room?" I jumped as soon as Natalie's voice echoed from the doorway. She eyed the room, seemed to be fascinated just by the glimmer of her eyes. "Interesting, I've never seen a control room like this before." She turned around to the doorway, only seen wall on the other side of the small doorway. "Hmm, if I remember correctly back in training, the wind currents that were travelling in my direction while I was being protected in a small, protective area, the wind didn't enter into the room."

"Okay, whatever kind if scientific mumbo jumbo whatchacallit you are just talking about, it's really hurting my brain..." I complained. I wish I have time to understand a freaking word Natalie spoke of, but what prevented me is me amnesia condition. That fucking Benny shall pay for this when I meet him at The Tops.

Natalie walked up to me and turn to point at the doorway. "From this angle, we can only see wall across the hallway, right?" She walk before I even got a chance to answer her. "But when we walk towards the doorway, we see a little gap of the gas fume filled space at the end of the hallway." She walked backed to me and held a grenade, making me flinch back. "Don't worry, the pin is still on the grenade. It's inactive right now."

"So you want to head out of the room and pull the pin of the grenade." Veronica suggested. "Once activated, you toss it to the space with the fumes and run as fast as you can over here before it explodes, igniting the flames through the hallway EXCEPT this room. That way, have not only solved the problem of igniting the gas but protecting ourselves from harm."

Me and Natalie blinked twice at Veronica, completely baffled by how she word the plan bit by bit. "Actually, Veronica is correct." Natalie verified. "Okay, since Crimson is already occupied with something, Veronica," Natalie grabbed Kip with both of her hands, reach him out to our Brotherhood friend. "can you hold onto Kip for a moment so he wont run off?"

Veronica grew an apprehensive facial expression when Kip is nearby her, since Kip wouldn't let anybody handle him besides Natalie. "U-Um...o-okay?" Veronica, highly hesitant about the idea, carefully drew her arms forward to grab Kip by the body. Kip wiggled in Natalie's hands vigorously, avoiding being touch by Veronica.

"Kip!" Natalie barked, trying to keep a hold of both Kip and the grenade tightly. "Stop...moving!" Nothing seem to went through Kip and his stubbornness. Kip kept squirming until he slid off of her hands and on the floor. Not only Natalie lost grip of Kip, she dropped the grenade onto the floor with the pin on her left middle finger.

"SHIT!" I yelled, standing against the wall. "NOW THE GRENADE IS ACTIVE!"

"Got to do this quick or we are all goners!" Veronica went to get the live grenade from the floor a foot from her, but it was intercepted by Kip who grabbed it with its little paws. "Huh? How can-" before Veronica could finished, Kip chittered at Natalie before running out quickly through the door.

"NO! KIP!" Natalie yelled and tried to run after her gecko friend, but was caught by Veronica shortly before the explosion occurred, sending all of the flames through the hallway everywhere except for the room we are in. "NO!" Natalie yelled again, dropping down to her knees as she broke down to an agonizing sob.

I couldn't help but feel horrible about what Natalie have to see in her own eyes. I looked away from the north direction, eyeing my Pip Boy that reads "complete" in bold letters. I detached the little cord from my device and went to comfort the Natalie. I placed a hand on her left shoulder, though Natalie didn't seem to look up at me. "I'm..." I spoke softly. "I'm really sorry about Kip, Natalie. I...I didn't expect him to do something like that."

"I agree." Veronica spoke afterwards. "In fact, I've never seen a gecko do something like that before. Normally they have a brain the size of a pea, but Kip..." She eyed the wall through the doorway. "Something about him just stands out from every other gecko. But, maybe we can find you another ge-"

"I don't want another gecko." Natalie whimpered through her sobs. "Nothing can replace Kip! Not even a gecko that looks exactly like him."

"Well," Veronica stood up, bringing Natalie up to her feet along with her. "Life comes with sacrifices, and I think Kip did what he can to make sure his mother is safe from harm. Maybe you should be happy for that."

Natalie nodded, wiping the tears with her uniform sleeves and hugged Veronica. "Yeah, you're right. I can't let Kip's name die in vain like I have with my father. I will honor him and cherish the memory I had with him." She pulled away from Veronica and eyed me. "But I owe it to you guys for helping out as well."

I grinned and walked up to the two. "That's what friends are for, Natalie. And a battalion as well. But now that our problems have been settled, and the research data has been downloaded into my Pip Boy for Hildern, we should report back to Keeley about this."

Natalie nod several times as she wiped the last bit of tears off her face. "You're right. The mission is just about over! Lets hurry back upstairs!" She made a run for it out the doorway, leaving me and Veronica to chase after from feet away towards the elevator.

* * *

"Wow, I'm glad you three manage to make it back in one piece." Keeley is shocked when we all came back to the lab after a little lift from the elevator. "Now the spores won't be a problem anymore and-" she stopped speaking for a moment. "Do you three have a small gecko with you a while ago?"

"Erm..." I scratched the back of my head and looked away, hoping nothing with sprout and uproar in the room. "we don't want to talk about that right now. It's kind of painful to talk about it.

"Oh," Keeley spoke. "then I have my deepest condolences to you three on your little friend. Anyway, now our problems with the spores have been dealt with, the quarantine lock down has been lifted from the entrance door. But, there is one small problem that needs to be done for good before I let you three go." She got on her terminal and started typing something.

We all looked at each other with an eyebrow raised. "What is this kind of problem you are talking about?" I asked.

Keeley kept typing at a quick pace on the terminal, but stopped and leaned in closer to the screen. "That's strange, I was about to wipe out the Vault 22 research data from the database, but it looks like it was downloaded off some kind of secondhand device like..." She turned to use, but eyed me and stood up. "A Pip Boy? Gosh, I haven't seen one of those since mine went on the fritz. Have you downloaded the data into there from the fifth floor?"

"Yes, I have." I replied to her question. "It was our mission from Hildern himself foe us to retrieve the data and bring it back to us as part of our battalion punishment."

"Figures, that bastard of a scientist." Keeley crossed that arms. "Sending merc after merc into this vault foe his own selfish reasons, and instead doesn't realize the dangers of the plants that were living in here. If ai were you, I'd let myself do whatever I can to make sure none of this data goes outside these walls."

Something about what Keeley said just happen to hit me with some realization. Sure it is my and my companion's mission to bring back the research to Hildern, but with what I have been through with the disease that almost cost me my life, what if that same road will happen to everyone else in the wasteland. I turned to my friend, who gave me a simple nod. "Alright, let's get rid of this data. With what we've been through, I don't want an epidemic to plague on the people." I walked forward and held out my Pip Boy to Keeley.

Keeley smiled and attached a long cord from the terminal to my device, yapping on a few buttons as a few beeping sounds from my Pip Boy indicates that the data has been deleted. "Alright. Done and done. Glad you three manage to come up with an agreement instead of running off with dangerous research. I'll have to express my gratitude to Angela once we all head back to the camp. But, I'll have to stay here for one more night until I head back out. You're free to go."

"Thank you, Dr. Keeley!" Natalie saluted and smiled. "We should give you gratitude for saving Crimson's from becoming one of those carriers."

I laughed at the little comment. "True that!" I gel out my right hand to Keeley for a handshake. "Thanks for saving my life, Keeley. I owe you a lot on that."

Keeley just formed a grin on her face a she reach to the right side of the terminal and pulled up the same hibiscus flower to me. "I think I owe you a hibiscus flower. After I used yours for the antidote, I think this one can replace the previous one, don't you say?"

I couldn't help but grinned along with her. I kindly took the flower and slide the stem part through the gap of my left ear. "Thanks again, Keeley. We hope we get to see you at the camp soon." With a wave goodbye at the scientist, we walked our way through the path from where we came to the vault entrance, which took us about a minute to easily find our way. We slipped through the gap of the vault door to the night filled outside of the wasteland. "Outside, finally!" I yelled happily with my arms up in the air.

"I couldn't agree more to that!" Veronica replied. "It felt lime we've been in that vault for a long time and forgotten what the wasteland look like before we came in. Time to report back to the camp, Natalie?"

Natalie turned to us and nodded. "Yep, then we can meet up with 1st Recon and Eric and have ourselves some Nuka-Cola and celebrate our efforts as a team! I think General Hsu keeps a case of the drink in the eatery at the top floor, and Ill have to ask permission abo-"

_"Attention all NCR! Repeat, attention all NCR!" _Some voice was called in some device from both me and Natalie. We dug into our pockets and pulled out the NCR Emergency Radio, which I have forgot that I still have before we made a stop near the 188. _"This is General Hsu of Camp McCarren speaking. Be on a high alert for two missing people who has ran out of the camp grounds at exactly 1823 hours. 1st Recon Craig Boone and Eric Scottsdale, if both have found, please escort them back into the camp immediately."_

"Strange..." Veronica spoke. "Why would hulk and hunter decide to leave the camp and wander away without informing anyone?"

"I don't know." I answered. "It's unlike them to act like that out of nowhere. They always follow orders and never go against authority whenever necessa-"

_"General Hsu, this is Ranger Milo here with the information of said Craig Boone and Eric Scottsdale." _an unrecognized voice brought the three of our fullest attentions when he mentions our teammates. _"The two said men, along with a third person in their cell, have rushed into Nelson without my authorization and went to attempt a cleaning job against a group of Caesar's Legion and save the crucified NCR soldiers.."_

"What!?" We all yelled at the same time.

_"Unfortunately, their operation didn't turn out well as they hoped." _The ranger Milo spoke in a grave tone. _"About three men of the Legion ambushed them from behind and were taken as ordered by a Centurion in one of the small camp buildings. I am ordering for anybody not, I repeat NOT, come to Nelson and try to apprehend the Legion. Over." _The radio made a static sound in the speaker.

"Shit, we got to go save them!" I yelled, frantically. "Who knows what the Legion will do to them!"

"Umm, did you here Ranger Milo instructing us _not _to go to Nelson?" Natalie informed with her arms crossed. "I mean, it is really stupid for those two to waltz into Nelson without authorization, but we have to get back and report to General Hsu and-"

"And what!?" I interrupted her. "Let both Craig and Duster get beaten up by the Legion and died from that!? I know Craig hates the Legion _with a passion. _ And I am not going to fucking stand around and wait when we should be over there saving them! Remember back in Boulder City where we bend the rules a bit instead of letting the NCR kill all of the Great Khans there?"

Natalie stood silent, lowering her head down and stare at the ground. After a few seconds, she nod and looked back at me with determination riddled in her eyes. "Then let's go save them! And I happen to know where Nelson is." She started running forward through all the green foliage in front of us.

"Hey, wait up!" Veronica yelled, began sprinting, with me right behind her, to catch up to Natalie again. When we finally manage to catch up to her, Veronica was the one to get closer to her. "So, where exactly is this Nelson place is?"

"Just half a mile away from Novac." Natalie answered.

"Novac!?" I murmured, surprised by how Nelson can turn out to be near Craig's settlement.


	38. Chapter 37 - A Couple of Problem Solvers

_**-Back in Your Backyard-**_

It has been two hours since our departure from Vault 22, after hectic events with almost turning to a Spore Carrier and surviving a fiery explosion. Though missing one companion, Kip, after sacrificing himself to keep Natalie safe, times are a bit tough right now without the little chittering reptile. But, luckily. just as we were about half a mile from the vault, a caravan traveler manage to stop by with a big carriage and asked us to take us to our destination. "Hey, sir." Veronica spoke from the front of the carriage. "How long are we going to take to get to Novac?"

"It'll be a while, ma'am." The caravan merc replied as he walked right beside his Brahmin. "I wish I can have ol' Timbuk here get to Novac in a flash, but he's getting into the years. The poor soul might have about one or two years in his life to go. Can't get any younger you know."

"Yeah, wish I can say the same to my little Kip." Natalie spoke softly while hugging her legs. She hasn't been the cheerful Natalie me and Veronica know ever since Kip risked his life for us, Natalie most importantly. "Well, I hope his little soul is floating around me and the sound of his chittering faintly echoing in my mind."

I placed my hand on Natalie's right shoulder, having her head raised up with her her brown eyes staring at me. "Hey, you'll be find, Natalie. You can't let all this negativity get the best of you if you are going continue being with the NCR. What if they need you for something, and you are like this?"

Natalie grinned and leaned back on the the wood of the carriage. "Yeah, I would be an easy, open target. Like my father, I can't let Kip's name die in vain. I'll honor him like I have with my father as long as I keep wearing his 1st Recon beret." Now that's the cheerful Natalie I am waiting for.

"I don't know about you guys," Veronica said, leaning against the front part if the carriage with her hand on the back of her hoodie. "but I am really hungry. I wonder if there is some food around here that we can eat."

I glumly eyed Veronica. "It's been about more than two hours since out last meal when you ate some of that cactus fruit you picked off when we left Vault 22. How can you be hungry again after a short amount of time!?"

"Well, we do need food in order to survive out in the barren wasteland." Natalie replied. "Without that and water to keep up hydrated, we are just another lost soul lying in the Mojave. Even the animals need those two things to stay alive, just part of our daily lives.

Unexpectedly, the whole carriage bumped into something and made us all jump, holding on tightly to the borders of the carriage. "Sorry, young ladies," the merc alerted us. "it appears that I ran over some pot hole on the road. I hope you three aren't hurt. Ah, we're here!" We released our tension from the unwanted event that just happened when I noticed the Dinky the Dinosaur statue appearing when we passed up the apartment to our left. "I hope you enjoy the little ride I offered."

"Of course." Veronica hopped out of the carriage from the side. "Beats running our feet down to the bone from the vault to here." She stopped and eyed the little town of Novac, where it is home to one of our companions: Craig. "Hmm, so this is Novac? Very nice town!"

Natalie got off the carriage from the back along with me. "Thanks for the ride, sir!" She gave the merc about 100 caps in a small bag before he left to go west for traveling. "If I remember correctly..." Natalie turned her head slowly left and right until she stopped at the direction where the statue is. "I believe Nelson is up that road past the Dino statue thing."

I remained quieted, dead silent when the nostalgia from the little town brings back memories from the time I've met Craig in the Dino statue. And for an odd reason, my heart began to pound rapidly with my cheeks blistering from the heat, even though it is dark out here. "I'll go check to see if someone knows Craig and Eric walking through here."

"Who?" Natalie and Veronica said together.

I didn't have to answer quickly, my whole body moved on its own as I started running towards the motels to find Manny, even though I detest how he treated Craig by forcing him to join with me on the mission to rid of the REPCONN Test Site of the ghouls. I got closer to one of the motels until I stopped to see a recognizable face that came out of one of the rooms. "Chris!" I yelled.

The apparent "ghoul" but human Chris is a scientist that me and Craig met at the test site, devastated that he turned out to be human and not one of the ghouls. "Well, if it isn't Lady Smoothskin. So nice to see you again." Even though he put on a smile, I can tell he was being sarcastic through that ghoulish, hoarse voice of his.

"Cut the nicknames crap, Chris." I barked. "I'm here to find Manny to know if he has spotted a couple of comrades that ran through this town to go and deal with some Legionnaires near Nelson. Is he in his motel room?" I heard both the footsteps of Veronica and Natalie coming towards me from behind.

Chris just shook his head. "Sorry, Lady Smoothskin." Again with the fucking nickname!? "Manny is not here. He left about a few hours ago with that toughskin friend of yours and another smoothskin with an eye patch." Probably referring to Eric, no doubt. "Said he will be assisting his friends right by the camp past the statue."

"So," Veronica spoke. "what this Ranger Milo said on the radio about a third person in the cell could be that Manny that is captured by the Legion?"

"Wait, Manny has been captured!?" Chris seemed surprised at the new. "When did that come about!?"

"Three hours ago." The three of us answered simultaneously.

Chris groaned and scratched his nearly bald head. "I take it you three are going to rescue him and the other two, right?"

"Apparently it is against orders to go into NCR business when it comes to the Legion at any point in time," Natalie verified. "but, since both 1st Recon and Eric are part of our five-man battalion, we will do whatever we can to rescue them safely. Even if it means we have to bend the rules a bit."

Chris gave us a short nod. "And I wish you all good luck on your rescue mission, and hope you'll stay safe against the enemy." He turned around and walked into his motel room, closing the door behind him.

The three of us stood in silence for a while, but I was the one that broke it by scuffing my boots against the gravel beneath me as I turned to the other direction. "Hey, wait Crimson. Where are you going?" Natalie called out.

I stopped and lifted my right arm up, pinching my thumb and index finger on my bottle cap and lift it up for me to glare at the blue glow of the star. I kept staring at it, thinking of the time Craig gave it to me as a little present back at the test site. Emotions swirling in my head, the glow faintly lit through the shrouded nighttime atmosphere around me from the full moon, I clenched the bottle cap in my hand tightly, but not too tight to make it bend. "Craig..." I whispered his name, dropping the bottle cap to have it dangle in my upper torso before walking forward.

"Crimson, wait up!" Veronica yelled, her footsteps and Natalie's grew closer to me. "Have you thought of a plan on rescuing them from the Legion?" I knew that question might pop up into play.

We kept walking, making our way past the statue and towards the bridge. "We meet up with Ranger Milo near Nelson. Ask him for assistance in dealing with the Legion. Once there, we eradicate whatever number of those bastards down until there is none left, that will give us better space to roam and search for the three." I took my laser rifle out of its holster, holding it with both my hands. "The Legion are tough, but we will pull through of we do this as one unit."

I saw, on the corner of my left eye, Natalie taking out her shotgun and loading two bullets into the barrel while we walked. "They will pay for taking our comrades and make them their hostages. It is unforgivable in my books." She placed it back in the holster.

Veronica readied her Power Fist and cracked her knuckles. "And me, ill do what I can to protect my new band of friends. No pansy, skirt wearing men are going to make a slave out of any one of us." Just as she finished talking she sprinted her way down the small incline to some sort of body lying on the ground with some garb that is highly familiar. "Hmm, a dead Legion body."

Me and Natalie ran to where Veronica is standing at. "Legion, no doubt." She knelt down and placed two of her fingers against the neck. "Hmm, no pulse, coloration is still there but small, and a hint of warmth still left." Her head slightly moved up with her brows pushed down. "Bullet hole on the left temple. Definitely a sniper's famous point to kill. Bit overall, judging by how this body looks, it has been recently killed." She pushed herself back to stand up. "Learned all the techniques from my father, by the way."

I pondered for a moment and looked to my left and notice another dead body resting against a charred hunk of metal in the middle of two perpendicular roads. "There's another one." I, with my two companions at my tail, ran up to the second body, but this time wearing some mask with goggles I've seen back in Nipton. "I'm guessing we are on the right track, huh?"

Natalie nodded. "Correct. We are on the right path towards Nelson. The rest of the way, we will meet an incline to the camp." We all continued our pace, at a sprinting matter, and followed the road forward with Natalie leading us there. We notice two more Legion bodies lying on the ground as we pass them, one with and one without a mask. "There is is." We looked forward and noticed some small barricade with two NCR soldiers and someone in ranger attire from afar.

The one with the ranger attire turned and noticed us, running towards us. "Stop right there you three!" He yelled, making us stop just yards away from the barricade. The ranger jogged his way to meet with us, but I doubt there will be any friendly confrontation here. "I don't know why you three decide to run up over here, but this area is strictly locked down by the NCR military until we dislodged some Legion snakes from Nelson." His eyes shift to the right, eyebrows lowered with concern. "Unless you haven't heard from the emergency radio a few hours ago..."

"We did," Natalie answered. "but a couple of our companions are there, and we are here to rescue them. Both 1st Recon Craig Boone and Eric Scottsdale along with another 1st Recon name Manny. I would like details with the trouble from the Legion, sir."

The ranger crossed his arms and stared sternly at her. "I doubt you are a 1st Recon as well, judging by your demeanor and no rank symbol on you, Boots. But hell, what ain't the trouble with the Legion?" He shrugged his shoulders. "This time, they jumped the camp in Nelson while the troopers were setting up. Captured a bunch if gear and took the town. Couple if troopers, too. Got 'em crucified down near the center of town."

"As usual..." Veronica spoke. "Any way that the three of us can help you assess the problem at hand?"

"Maybe," the ranger nod his head to the side, keeping his arms crossed. "but I'd like to know who I am dealing with, first. I am Ranger Milo, who might the three of you be?"

"NCR recruit Natalie Sanders, sir." Natalie bellowed out, noticing her standing at attention and saluting. "I have along with me Veronica and courier Crimson."

"Courier!?" Milo spoke, turning to me. "Oh, heck. I've heard of you from the radio nit too long ago." He gave out a slight chuckle halfheartedly. "Suppose to be some regular hero, ain't that right?" He chuckle even louder, irritating me a bit. "But maybe a you're little, too...'reputable' to get involve in some dirty work for the Repub-"

"Okay," I interrupted him. "are you going to fucking crack some jokes, or are we going to get this damn Legion problem off your hands!?"

Milo's eyes widen, baffled at my come back. "Well, I'll be damned!" He smirked. "Looks like you've got some dirt in you after all. Of course for a lowly courier like you, you've got quite the attitude and the reputation the NCR have seen. If you had a few doses of Psycho on you, maybe we can pep these weepy troopers into charging down to Nelson and taking back the camp. But," he placed his hands on his hips. "since that's not likely, you three can help me take out the Legion's trooper hostages."

"Wait, take them out!?" Natalie gasped. "Why would you want to take out the hostages instead of freeing them!?"

Milo shook his head and sighed. "The troopers won't go down into camp with their comrades at risk. Dirty game the Legion likes to roll out whenever they get the chance. Problem is, Ranger Milo- yours truly - doesn't want to play like that. If we take out the hostages, they've got squat for leverage."

"So, why not rescue them, then?" Veronica asked.

"Back in 'Ranger School', they taught us not to run headlong into a battle when you're outnumbered ten to one." Milo answered. "You three want to go down there and try to haul them those crippled boys off those posts, you're dumber than you look."

Everything went silent for a while, hearing his answer about taking out the NCR hostages and all that makes me think of Craig's 'mercy killing' maneuver. How he dealt that with his wife when she was taken as a slave made me want to refuse his decision and go with my plan. I opened my mouth to protest back to him. "Fine, we'll do as you ordered, sir." Natalie's grave decision left me flabbergasted big time.

Milo smiled at Natalie's decision. "Good. We clear out the hostages and they lose their advantage." He took out his rifle from his holster. "They're down in the clearing, crucified ones are on telephone poles. I'll cover you three from the ridge. Just make it quick and make sure to put those boys out of their misery, though they won't be plinked to death with some old varmint rifle. And don't get any dreamy notions about playing hero and dragging those boys out. You'll get swarmed." He turned around to head toward the ridge.

Something about Milo just doesn't seem right. He has never mentioned anything about rescuing Craig, Manny, and Eric from the Legion, only talked about killing off the hostages. "Come on, guys..." Natalie spoke softly. "better do as we are ordered." With her shotgun out, she and Veronica ran forward through the road.

I took out my laser rifle out, figures Natalie can't back down a direct order from the NCR soldier and rank above her, I think. Without saying another word, I sprint my way to catch up to Natalie and Veronica, who is just at the head of the incline. I noticed something red that past by me a few feet behind me. I turned around, seeing what appears to be a 1st Recon beret lying on the ground. "Huh?" I ran back and grabbed the beret, placed it in my pocket without stopping my running towards the incline.

"Take this!" I heard Natalie yelled from afar, killing off one of the Legion men standing near a hill in the middle of the road. I caught up the them, shooting off a stray drag mine in the middle of the road. "Nelson is just up ahead. We better take out the hostages as or-"

"No!" I growled, having Natalie step back away from me. "We are going with our plan as followed to the end. Plus, have you fucking noticed Milo hasn't said one damn word about our friends and Manny!?"

Natalie eyeballed me, her face riddle with confusion. "Now that you mentioned it, he didn't say a word about them. Though, I am only following orders to the T, no questions ask." Natalie notice Veronica and me staring blankly at her. "What, I have to! Part of being an NCR soldier."

"Yeah, we kind of figure that out too much. But, don't you think not mentioning our battalion companions is a huge concern?" Veronica noted, bringing up the huge point on my topic. "Like you said, both hulk and hunter are part of our team. And we will do whatever we can to rescue them. Remember?"

Natalie lowered both her head and her arms with the shotgun in her hands. "Yeah, I guess I forgot I said that back in Novac." She raised both of them back up, her face with determination. "Alright, the three of us will split up and eradicate the Legion in three separate corners. Veronica, you flank near the western part of the camp. I'll go search in the center, while Crimson, you go flank at the eastern sector. The faster we clear out of the goons, the more time we have of finding our friends."

We all nodded at her plan, and give no reply as we ran down the rest of the incline towards the camp, spreading into three separate ways. I veered slightly to the right and take aim on a Legion recruit yard from me, shooting the red beam at his arm twice. "Take that, Legion scum!" I yelled, taking a third shot to the head as his body disintegrates to ash.

"Take this, profligate!" I went to turn to the direction of the voice, only to have my left shoulder being shot at by a Legion with a familiar gun in his hands. His head suddenly got blown off, probably from Milo near the ridge, and dropped down with a thud. I ran to get the gun from the dead body, noticing a scope on top of the rifle with wrappings on the wooden end of it.

"That Craig's rifle!" No wonder why I was shot on the shoulder with sheer precision. I grabbed the rifle with my right arm, while holding my laser rifle with my limping left, and placed it in the holster do now before taking out my hunting knife. "Gotta find him, and quick!" I turned back around to the direction in suppose to go and ran through there, killing off a dog right through the head just as it lunged at me. I scanned the rest of the area carefully, but noticing no other Legion guys in my aide of the camp.

"Crimson!" I heard Natalie yelled from the center of the camp. I quickly made my way there, just as soon as Natalie got finished with killing a Legion member near the sniper post from afar. "Veronica has spotted both Eric and the Manny guy in the building beside me, but no sign of Craig." She took out her switchblade and pierced the dog right through the skull. "Check over by the cliff side and see if he is over there. Me and Veronica will wait until you get him over here so we can further proceed with the mission."

I nod, giving her a signal before she proceed towards the building with Veronica. I turned around and head for the northern part of the camp. "Damn, my shoulder..." I murmured to myself just as I slightly opened the gate in front of me.

"You've got a lot of guys to come this far, NCR soldier." A faint voice echoed from beyond the wooded barrier just a few feet from me. I sneaked quietly and peered over the right, seeing someone wearing centurion while standing two feet from none other than Craig near the edge of a cliff.

"You bastards think you can get away with it, can you?" Craig growled. He's now wearing a while shirt, black pants with some kind of gray cloth wrapped around his neck. His face has been bruised, like he has been punched so many times. Kind of odd how I can spot that from afar in this darkness. "Doing a cowards way of crucifying those troopers just to teach them a lesson, I wish I could have my rifle with me a-"

"SHUT UP!" The centurion slapped Craig hard to the ground with a back hand before pulling Craig back up to his knees. "You think you and your NCR brethren have what it takes to mow down the Legion with just the three of you? And without your precious sniper rifle, you are no matched while your wrists and ankles are ties up."

I heard a soft chuckle coming from Craig. "Just come a bit closer and let me fucking bite that disgusting face right off your head!" By that remark, the centurion kneed him on the stomach, making him fall face first on the ground.

I growled through the center of my throat, taking out Craig's rifle from my laser rifle holster, replacing it with my weapon, and lied on my belly. I scoot in closer so I have a clear view of both the centurion and Craig in the scope's sight. _Maintain position..._I repeated the words Craig told me that time we left Novac. I had no choice but to move my wounded left arm and have my hand hold the barrel up to keep it steady.

The centurion brought Craig back onto his knees, holding some huge sword from the ground and rest it on the left side of Craig's neck. "Now, you worthless piece of scum. Have any last words before I execute you and toss you off the cliff?"

Craig's eyes moved towards my direction and twitched. A smile stretched across his face as he looked up at the enemy. "Yeah, go fuck yourself!" He turned his head to my direction. "NOW!" He yelled, rolling to the left to give space for me to shoot the centurion.

I took a deep breath, and just as the centurion eyed me I took one single shot at his forehead. He staggered backwards until his whole self went over the edge and disappeared out of sight. "Die in hell." I murmured, lifting myself up with just my right arm before running down to meet up with Craig.

Craig got up onto his knees, but his face went blank as if he has seen some kind of ghost before him when he first saw me in a long time, about a days worth of it. "Crimson!?" He gasped. "What are you doing here!?"

I got close to him with his rifle dropped beside me. I took out my hunting knife and knelt down near him. "Rescuing you, what does it look like?" I carefully, and slowly, slid the knife in between his wrists and swiftly cut the first string of the raggedy rope to free him. "We got the news from both Hsu and Milo about your disappearance and your capture from the emergency radio just as we left Vault 22." I went behind Craig and cut off the ropes on his ankles. "Natalie and Veronica are with Eric and Manny, rescuing them both from one of the building at the epicenter of the camp."

"Good, what about the crucified troops over there?" Craig asked. "Have you dealt with them yet?"

I shook my head. "We haven't. But we mowed down those Legion bastards roaming around up the camp. Figure get rid of the problem before proceeding to other things." I grabbed his rifle from the ground and gave it to him.

"Hmph," Craig grabbed his rifle. "and I thought I was expecting a guardian angel to fly by here." He got up on his feet and placed his rifle in his holster. "But, instead it had to be you of all people. Again with the both of us happened to be together in the most random times of any day.

I exhaled sharply and shook my head. "Well, I'm no guardian angel, whatever that is..." I said. "but be glad that I happened to have save your ass before your head was about to get chopped off by that centurion's sword."

"You got a point there, I'll give you that." Craig scratched his head, then groaned because of that. "Great, apparently my beret fell off my head when those damn bastards jumped me and the other two from behind. Now I need to head back there and find it. Hopefully it's not torn up or full of holes..." He growled under his breath.

A grin stretched across my face, digging into my coat pocket to bring his beret out. "I guess I beat you to it, huh? Found it just as soon as I enter down the incline." I reached my hand with his beret out and offered it to him.

"Thanks." He replied, taking his beret off my hand and placed it right on his head. "I hope it was not much of a problem dealing with those legionary bastards out there without me. I noticed a few more down to the west of here I you want to come with me and deal with it."

"Never a problem at all." I replied with a grin. "In fact, I believe the both of us cleaning the camp away from the Legion happens to be a solution to our problems."

Craig's face lit up as a crooked smile formed from my reply. "Damn right. You and I, we are just a couple of problem solvers." His eyes shift to the left, brows lowered at my gunshot wound. "Legion shot you?"

"With your gun." I replied smugly. "The ranger near the ridge popped his head off its shoulders. That gave me time to retrieve it in case I find you, along with your beret."

Craig brought out his rifle and nod once. "Then we better head over to get deal with the last bit of the Legion before we meet up at the center of town with the others." A few gun shots echoed from that same direction once he turned there. "Or maybe someone has already dealt with them. Let's just head back up to the camp."

"Yeah, the troopers are our main priority." I went to turn to walk up the incline to the camp, but a hand grabbed my right wrist. Glad it's not my left arm, otherwise I'll yell from the pain in my shoulder. "Yes, Craig?" It doesn't take a dim witted, amnesiac person to know that Craig would act like this if me and him are completely alone or if something between the lines of saving one another. I turned myself around to meet his soft gaze. "If you got something to say, make it qui-"

Craig, out of nowhere, yanked me to wrap his strong arms around my neck. I felt a hand clench lightly against my messy hair along with his head resting on the right side of my face. "I don't know what to say, but thanks for saving my life. I didn't think I would be able to see you again if I were to be executed."

I felt his heart beat against my upper torso, tapping in a smooth rhythm unlike my quick tempo heartbeat. "Craig..." I spoke softly. The warmth in his arms is somehow making my mind become blank. Everything but his soft breath toned out on me, made me have an instinct of wrapping my arms around his body, like my whole body just moved on its own. _What's...going on? _I thought. _Why am I feeling like this?_

"Stop right there!" A known voice from the west direction made us seperate and divert our attention to one if the Legion members holding a rifle at us. "No sudden movements, or I'll shoot you both!"

I pulled my knife off its sheath, using myself as a shield in front of Craig to keep him from being hurt. "You! You're that guy from Nipton you and your guys burned to the ground and killed everyone for your lesson! You're that Corwin person!"

The Corwin guy, masked and all, carefully walked closer to me and Craig with his weapon still armed at us. "That voice, you're that woman Vulpes ordered me to knock you out and keep alive." He stopped just a few feet from me, dropping the gun from his hands. "No...it...it can't be! It _is _you!"

I held my life closer to my body. "Whatever the hell you are talking about, I am not the person you are looking for! Take one step and I'll slit your throat! If you are going to kill of my friend, you're going to have to go through me first!"

"Crimson?" I can barely hear Craig saying my name from the wind whistling through my ears.

Corwin took the eyewear off and showed his bright, hazel eyes with black, bushy brows raised all the way up. "It is you..." He grabbed the top part of his mask and slid it off of him quickly, revealing a pale face, mustache and skinny streak of black hair down his chin, and swept back, shoulder length black hair shining from the moon above us. He also has a small, red scar hovering over his right eye. "Do...do you remember me?"

"Crimson," Craig called from behind me. "what is this damn bastard talking about!? Do you even know him?"

I stood silent, maintaining my stance between him and Craig. "No, I d-AURGH!" I dropped my knife down, clenching both sides of my head and eyes closed shut with the massive, inflicting pain throbbing in my mind. An image of that same guy in front of me showed up in my vision, wearing different kind of garb as he was approaching me from afar.

The guy in my vision only had short hair and just that little streak of hair down the median of his chin. His attire consists of some clothing one of the mercs wear and a bandana on his forehead. His hazel eyes gazed at me with a hand extended out to me. _"Hey, are you okay-" _the vision and the pain in my head faded away before it can finished what he said.

"Crimson, say something!" Craig yelled. "What was that vision about?"

I opened my eyes and stood straight up, glaring at the enemy in front of me. Mass confusion overcame my whole subconscious about the vision as I stared directly at Corwin. "You...why are you in my visions!?" I spoke, feeling even more confused than before.

_What in the fuck is going on here!?_

* * *

**_((Remember Corwin from chapter nine? Crimson can tell it is the same guy from Nipton because of the voice. Shocked about the ending? Well, you'll find out soon enough in the future chapters. Thanks for reading and see you guys in the next chapter! -CS))_**


	39. Chapter 38 - Bending the Rules

_**-Back in Your Backyard Pt. 2-**_

Questions have yet to answered, in fact there are so many of them that need to be answered because of the little memory clip I just saw regarding the Legion enemy named Corwin me and Craig are standing against in Nelson. So much for a fucking reunion with my sniper companion after nearly a day of being out on a mission. "This...no...there has to be a mistake!" Craig growled behind me. "How can that bastard be in your memory!?"

"I don't know!" I barked, unsure about the whole situation. "It just happened all of a sudden.' I placed my right hand on my head as I eyed the Legion member feet from me.

"Just happened!?" Corwin growled. "There was never a 'just happened' when we met nearly four years ago. Don't tell me you've forgotten what happened during that time. Or maybe you just refuse to talk about it."

I glared at the enemy, my face flared up with anger. "I have never met you before. How can I fucking remember anything if I have amnesia from a bullet lodged into my head some nights ago." I quickly picked up my hunting knife from the ground, reverting back to my defensive stance. "Whoever the hell you are, or how you've appeared in my memories, that won't phase me one bit! Either you leave now, or me and Craig will force you out!"

Corwin just glared at me and shook his head slowly. "Pitiful...I don't take fucking orders from a weak and sub human gender like you! If you can't remember the time we met, then I guess I'll have to make you remember from the time being. But, tell me this..." Corwin bent down to grab his rifle off of the ground. His hazel irises glared coldly at my direction. "why are you friends with a murderer!?"

I twitched a bit, but remained unmoved by his words. "So what!? He killed many of you guys during his days in the NCR. Just because he murdered your men doesn't mean I can cut ties away from him."

"You don't understand, Crimson." Craig appeared on my right with his rifle in hands, making me turned my head directly at me. "There are much more people than the Legion I shot down, some of which I am highly not proud of..." I wish I can understand where he is going through, but that would make me even more confused. "I remember seeing your vengeful face back then, how can I not forget it." He spoke to Corwin.

A little gasp somehow slipped out of my lips. "You...you know each other!?" I shift my head between Corwin and Craig.

"Yes..." Corwin growled. "he was one of those damn snipers I saw. That day four years ago, back in Bitter Springs!" He began stomping his way forward to Craig. "I've seen you massacre those defenseless, innocent people without stopping to look who the people are, and seen you without any hint of remorse on you!" He slammed down his rifle, making a run at us. "YOU'VE KILLED MY SICK SISTER, YOU BASTARD!" He shoved me away from his line of sight.

I landed on my left shoulder, the agonizing yelled escaping through my voiced echoed in the area. _Fuck, I've forgotten about that damn bullet lodged in my shoulder still! _I thought to myself , wincing from the intense pain. I rolled carefully to my left side, eyeing both Corwin and Craig exchanging punches at each other. "I...got to do something..." I growled under my breath, but neither my voice can reach them nor I have the strength to get up because of my wound on my left shoulder.

Corwin connected a few punches on Craig's face with little bits of blood exiting out of the sniper's mouth. "You'll pay for what you did!" Corwin yelled, grabbing Craig's neck tightly. "I was about to go to her with the cure for her disease in my hand, until I saw her head being shot at by you and your men! DO YOU KNOW HOW PAINFUL IT IS TO SEE HER FACE AFTER SHE GOT KILLED!? RELIVING THE SAME IMAGE DAY BY DAY AS IF IT WERE THAT DAY, EVEN IN YOUR DREAMS!?"

"I...have that...same problem..." Craig tried to speak through his clenched throat. "You Legion bastards took my wife!" With what little strength he had, he thrust his right arm quickly on Corwin's stomach, making him release the grip off of his neck. A chain of coughing came up after taking a huge breath of air into his lungs. "Crimson, are you okay!?" I heard his footsteps coming towards me as I was being picked up into a sitting position by him. "I hope he hasn't harmed you..."

"I'm fine." I replied, but apparently my grunting from the pain on my shoulder proved him otherwise. "Well, he shoved me down, making me land on my left shoulder." I heard a little clicking noise coming from behind Craig. I lift my head up to see the barrel part of Corwin's rifle on the right side of Craig's head.

Corwin's icy eyes glared down at Craig as his thumb pulled the hammer back slowly. "I have waited years to meet your gaze, NCR soldier. The day where I can demonstrate how and where you killed my sick and weak sister. And this time, I'll even show this in front of your lover, and maybe even teach her who is the alpha male between the two. And once I'm done with you, I won't hesitate one bit when I take her with me to The Fort and make her mine."

_Make me his!? _I though, my eyes widen at his cold eyes. _Why in the hell did he say that!? I am not some stupid prize! _I went to see Craig, but the feeling around me shift from fear to complete horror-struck in an instant.

Craig has his eyes widen, a vein popped out of his left temple just as his face became fierce with rage. "I...won't..." He growled through his clenched teeth. "let...you" he grabbed the barrel and clenched it hard. "take...Crimson..." He stood up with his free hand balled into a fist. "AWAY FROM ME!" With one quick movement, Craig implanted his fist against Corwin's face, making him tumble backwards and fall onto the ground. Corwin remained motionless, possibly knocked out by his punch.

As shocked as I am, I never knew Craig can be so protective like that. Even when it comes to his NCR allies and his friends. I got right back up to my feet using only my right arm and eyed Craig's intimidating, but fierce, glare and rapid breathing. "Didn't know you had that in you, Craig. That's the first time I ever seen you hit someone without a weapon."

Craig's face soften up and breathing now at a normal rhythm, slowly turning his head with his green irises staring at me. "Being in close combat isn't my strong suit, let alone using melee weapons like the machete. I usually flank the enemy from afar while my allies try to distract them so I can take the shot. But..." He lowered his head and glared at his shaken left hand. "it's been a long time since I've used these murdering hands, and it is against the enemy I loathe to the very pit of my soul."

"And some murderous hands you have that nearly killed him." A soft spoken, but spine chilling voice was heard from the east of us. We took our stance and eyed the Legion guy with a canine headwear and pitch black goggles, like the one I saw in Nipton. "Ah, it's you again, young female. Pray to tell me, has my teachings in Nipton been engraved in your head of yours through the days?" Yep, it's that same guy.

I growled as a warning. "Apparently, all I've had engraved in my mind I how you have killed innocent lives in that town. But it was a good thing a couple of traveling merchants found me there and took me to Novac after your Corwin knocked me out."

The Legionary smirked, chuckling softly. "I see you've met the vengeful little pup. In fact, he is not merely a pup after what I've witness from afar." With his arms behind his back, he walked past us towards Corwin. "This member of the Legion has quite a story he told the mighty Caesar about the two of you. One who he has vengeance on, and one who has his eye on you, assuming to be called his mate, I suppose."

"Wait, mate?" I spoke. "What do you mean, I am not some fucking animal!" I placed my hunting knife back into its sheath.

The enemy chuckled, twisting his head to us. "On the contrary, I find it ironic how two and two can go together in such a wondrous and entertaining manner. Corwin here seems to have a goal in mind, but apparently you, NCR soldier, have already knocked him out despite wanting revenge for his little sister, and wanting to further his goal."

"And what about Crimson!?" Craig shifted his whole body to act a shield to me. "Why did you say that she is his mate!?"

Again, the mysterious guy chuckled and picked the unconscious Corwin up and slung his left arm over his shoulders. "In such due time, you two. I see an unforeseeable future ahead for you and your partner. And as for the Legion, you might never know when we will attack next."

"Crimson, Craig!" I heard Natalie's voice echoing from the hill to our left. Natalie, along with Veronica, with both Manny and Eric using her as a crutch, ran over to us but stopped to see the Legion feet away. "Who are you!?" She asked the mysterious guy in front of us with her shotgun loaded.

"I am merely just a messenger, a Frumentarii for the mighty Caesar." The stranger spoke. "I'm just over here to retrieve a lost pup and take him back to The Fort for further orders." He turned his head towards Corwin. "Seems like he's waking up."

Corwin moaned and lifted his head up. "V...Vulpes!?" He groaned. "What are you doing here?"

"I hope yer not gon' skedaddle on back t' yer place!" Eric spoke. Funny, been a while since I heard his accent. "I 'ave yet t' teach ya a lesson about takin' me an' m' friends hostage!"

The one called Vulpes kept a good hold on Corwin as he stepped back. "I'm afraid our dealings are done here. We, of the Legion, have no use for those degenerate soldiers up in the center of this camp. We shall leave now, and must plan ahead for our goals of taking over the Mojave Wasteland. Until then, be lucky I haven't let the mongrels make you their play toys."

Corwin manage to gain some strength in his legs, though his left arm is still slung around Vulpes's shoulders. "Just you wait, murderer!" He growled to Craig. "One day, you'll never expect me coming once I have my rifle on your head from behind. I'll show a lesson like you have on my sister!" He then turned to me. "And I will come after you! And I'll do whatever I can to make you remember me, even if it means I have to knock some memory out of your head, _Crimson_!" He said my name like it's something he detests.

"Vale, until we meet again..." Vulpes, with his hold still on the weak Corwin, turned around and head down south. They kept walking for a good five minutes while the wind howled through the silent group I am standing with.

"Over my fucking dead body he won't take you!" I heard Craig growled through his tightened jaw. "No Legion is ever going to take anyone, not while I am present! Any of them I see while we are traveling, I won't fucking blink an eye if I were to implant one of my bullets into their heads."

"Easy there, Boone." Manny spoke, his arm over Veronica's shoulders. "It would be suicide if you were to charge in head first against a band of them all by yourself."

"SHUT UP!" Craig yelled. "I don't care if I end up being dead by a bunch of those sports-wearing, butt-fucking bastards!" He crossed his arms. "Now, for the main reason we are over here. Taking care of those crucified troopers in the camp."

Natalie walked up with her shotgun still in her hands. "You know we have to take them out right? Erm...Ranger Milo said we have to kill the hostages..." She lowered her head to see the ground. "Look, I know they are soldiers we have to protect, but it's a leverage for the Legion if we take them o-"

Craig clutch Natalie's uniform tightly, his face forming to a furious expression. "Take...them...out!? Are you fucking out of you mind to do a mercy killing on those troopers when you know they need saving!? Boots, what you are doing is following order by a stupid Ranger who doesn't know his fucking ass from the hole in the damn wasteland!"

"I-I-I-I'm sorry, 1st Recon!" Natalie yelled, I think she is getting a little mad at him. "But, I have no choice but to follow orders! Whether you like it or not, it has to be done! But if you look at it this way, it's three less of our NCR soldiers the Legion will try to crucify!"

Manny limped himself to the two, pushing them apart to make Craig release his grip off of Natalie's uniform. "Boots has a point there, Boone. The Legion won't have anything with them if we kill off the soldiers they took. That will leave them to their weak point."

"Then you are a fool to even side with a recruit who has no fucking clue what we have been through during our time years ago." Craig brought out his rifle and put a few bullets in. "If that's what you want, I am doing it myself." He sprint passed everyone without saying another word towards the camp.

I heard Eric sighed when he and Veronica walked to us. "Stubborn as always. Just like b'fore, nothin' t' got around 'im one way 'r another."

"Either way, there's those soldiers back at the camp that still needs help." Veronica turned to me. "What are we going to do now? That ranger over there is expecting all of us to relinquish the lives of those wounded soldiers there? Should we still follow his orders?"

I stood in silence, clenching both of my fists tightly. "Sorry, I am not letting those damn soldiers die on those crosses." I eyed every single one of my companions. "To hell with mercy killing, we are getting those guys out of here alive." I turned to my left and sprint my way to catch up to Craig, who has already made his way up the hill and near the crucified soldiers with the hammer of his rifle pulled back. "Craig, wait!" I yelled, running my way to him.

"Leave me alone, Crimson!" He got up to the middle of the wooden platform, aiming his sniper rifle at the first trooper to his left. Ignoring his warning, I hopped onto the platform just as I shoved his rifle away from the soldier above just before he took a shot at hit head. "What the- don't get in my fucking way, Crimson!"

I remained on the spot in front of him, taking my hunting knife out of the sheath. I noticed Craig eyeing me, assuming I am about to attack him he raised his rifle at me. "Just try and do it, Craig!" I threatened. "Either way, I will not let you give the mercy kill to the soldiers here. We are going to free them and take them back home. And I am definitely not going to relive your tragic past."

Craig maintain his position, staring directly at me. With one movement, he put the safety of his rifle back on and placed it in his holster. "Then how will you manage to free the soldiers up there?"

"Watch me." I placed the handle part of my knife in between my teeth, clenching it hard as I hopped up onto the metal rods sticking out of the pole.

"What are you doing, Crimson!?" Natalie yelled as soon as I got to the top. "Let me get rid of them quickly before any Legion decides to attack us!"

I grabbed my knife out of my mouth and held it with my right hand. With one swipe, I cut the ropes from one of the arms of the soldier. "Craig, grab him!" I quickly maneuver my way to the other side and sliced the rope, making the soldier fall down.

"Got him!" Craig caught him just in time before he land on the platform face first. "I'll go carry him out to the other troopers."

I hopped down off the pole and made my way to the next one in the middle. "Natalie, grab him, quick!" I ordered. I quickly hopped on the next set of metal rods and climbed my way up, quickly cutting the rope of both sides on the horizontal part of the cross.

"Whoa!" Natalie grabbed the soldier, having her balance lost from the heaviness of the wounded soldier landing on her. "Hold on, sir. We are getting you out of here!" The sounds if her grunting tells me she is having trouble carrying the trooper away from the platform. I noticed Manny running to her, slinging the other arm over his shoulders. "Thank you, sir."

"Don't mention it, Boots." Manny replied, carrying the wounded troop with Natalie off the platform.

I saw the last solder being dropped down from Veronica untying the ropes with Eric catching him before he landed. "We got th' last one, Crims. Let's mosey in outta 'ere." With Veronica behind him, he carefully walked his way off the platform along with Natalie and Manny towards the incline.

I huffed out a relieving sigh now that the hostages are safe and alive. I got off the pole and landed, to my surprise, on Craig's arms. "What the!?" I swear my whole body froze all together from the unexpected catch. "How did you get here so quick!?"

"While you weren't looking." Craig gave off a smirk, which send my heart into a marathon of pounding against my chest. "I'm a sniper, I am trained to sneak up against an enemy with stealth and absolute silence. If you've spot me, what good am I then?" He set me down to my feet, eyeing our allies escorting the wounded out of Nelson. "But, more importantly, I'm glad you've got options on your side besides taking orders to a pansy ass ranger like Boots."

"She's part of the NCR, like Milo is." I replied, sheathing my knife and crossed my arms. "I, on the other hand, would've. But the thought of taking out a wounded life and turning away from the enemy instead of taking them out is a coward's way of doing it. Especially after what you've told me back in Camp McCarran after our dealings with the Fiends in Vault 3."

I felt his hand softly planted on the median of my back. I turned to him, his soft expression making the heat creep into my cheeks. And for the first time, he smiled. A very genuine and heartwarming smile I've never seen from him. "Glad you chose your way of dealing with the situation. Not only that, you've saved two members of our battalion."

I turned my head and lift it up to see the full moon in the sky. "That's what we do: having each others backs until one of us fall down or perish. If one falls, the rest of the group falls along with that person. I may be no NCR member, but I learn from the people around me and whom I'm with even though I can't remember anything about my past."

"Past..." Craig repeated the last word I said. His smile disappeared as his arm dropped down. "Still, I have no damn clue why that Legion bastard ended up in your memory." He walked and face directly one foot from me. "Memory or not, I won't let any fucking Legionary lay just a little fingerprint on you. Especially that guy with a priceless bounty on my head."

"And..." I began to speak, looking away from him with the heat returning on my cheeks. "he also mentioned lover. I won-" my mouth was instantly covered by Craig's hand. I pulled my eyebrows together, giving my companion the confused look in my eyes.

Craig inhaled deeply, then released it slowly before taking his hand back. "Let's just head back to Novac for the night. It's getting pretty late anyways, I can tell by the dark circles on your eyes."

_Craig's right. _Now that he mentioned it, my eyelids do feel a bit heavy. "I agree." I felt a yawn creeper out of me just as me and Craig started walking off the wooden platform. To be honest, being right beside Craig somehow made me feel at ease. All the tension in my shoulders were brushed away, all my worries have been erased, even a walk with him under the moonlight really lift my spirits up. Just wish I have the damn guts to tell him that, but because of being married to Carla it'll make things weird and complicated.

"Well, I'll be damned." I noticed Milo walking down the wooden platforms adjacent to the hills beside us. "I didn't know how you and the other two manage to pull it through. Guess I should take back what I said about taking out those hostages." He tossed me a small bag of bottle caps. "I'm not authorized to give any civilian their worth of caps, but let's just say I'll let this one slide for now."

I eyed the little bag in the palm of my hand before dropping it down to the ground. "Know what, I don't think it's fair to be paid by a ranger who would rather take an ally's life. A life doesn't have a price when they are safe or needs to be saved." I took one quick second of Milo's astonished glare before turning myself around and made my way to the incline through the road, seeing the rest of my battalion waiting for me and Craig near the barricade.

"My best bet for right now would be staying the night in Novac." Manny suggested as I got within an earshot of him. "I'll ask for someone to rent you guys a room to stay for the night before you head back to your destination."

"Thank you, sir!" Natalie saluted to Manny. "It is getting late, though. But I want to have a room with all my friends!" She hugged both Eric and Veronica tightly near her.

"You can forget about that." Craig spoke when we got near them. "I have my own room that I can sleep in. And I don't need you to knock on my door, Boots. Just because I live there doesn't mean you have to bother me every once in a while."

"Wait, Novac is your home!?" Natalie's pitch went up. She then turned to me. "Crimson, how come you never told me 1st Recon lived in Novac!?"

I growled and shook my head out of annoyance. "It's getting late, Natalie. Let's get over there and settle in for a night. I hate to be able to lose sleep once we return to Camp McCarran and report to Hsu. Not only that, I have my own room and I need my privacy."

"What do you mean, Crimson?" Veronica spoke. "Why can't we have a sleepover at your room? Aren't you afraid to take your clothes off in front of other women?"

"SHUT UP!" Craig, out of nowhere, said the same words I said after Veronica's ridiculous question. I eyed Craig for one short second before shaking my head and proceeded onwards to Novac. _That was weird... _I pondered.

* * *

_-Craig-_

_3:17 a.m...damn it, I'm tired... _My eyelids kept on shutting on its own ever now and then, which is a surprise to me. Normally, my insomnia attacks would already kicked in once the battalion I have arrived here in Novac after dealing with both the Legion and the NCR hostages. I stood still, my arms cross with my eyes eyeing the direction where Nelson is. Problem right now, I'm about to fall asleep.

"Got to..." I yawned. "got to stay awake..." My voice sounded a bit off, that's different. My eyelids fought against me and closed, making a small snore escape my nose. Until a few knocks from the door snapped me out of my slumber. I brought my rifle from the holster and crept to the door. "Who is it?" I spoke, alert and cautious as I always am.

"It's me, Craig. Can I come in?" A soft, recognizable voice from the other side of the door left me completely speechless...odd.

_Crimson!? _My heart raced by the sound of her voice. I quickly holster my rifle and opened the door to see Crimson with only her white shirt, dark gray pants and the blue star bottle cap I gave her that is converted into a necklace. The circles around her eyes indicate that she has barely slept after a few hours being here. "Sure, you can come in." I replied.

After letting her into the nest, I shut the door and followed her near the teeth of the dino's teeth. "Sorry if I have seem to disturb you while on watch," she spoke, leaning against the right part if the mouth. "had another nightmare not too long ago."

Figures, like that time in Camp McCarren after she almost suffocated to death by that centurion while being interrogated. "Let me guess, it was about that Legion person with a vengeance?"

"Yeah, trying to drag me into some kind of darkness." I turned to her, seeing her hugging herself. "I doubt the nightmares are ever going to end if I keep running into the Legion every once in a while. That, and maybe taking out a life like you have before." She turned to me, her eyes full of worry. "I won't mention anything about what was said and happened back at Nelson, if that was what you're wondering."

I'm glad she is one of those people that can understand where I had went through during my duty years ago. Hell, I think she is the only person besides Carla to have ever kept a boundary line if anything like that goes over. "Mercy killing is expected of NCR snipers. The Legion likes to torture their prisoners within sight of NCR positions. We get called on to end it." I leaned up against the left part of the mouth, facing myself towards her. "I've had my share."

Crimson remained quiet once I told her my part of the life. "Must've been tough to do that to your comrades even if you refuse to do so. Can't imagine the expression on you when you have to take a deep breath and end it. Glad I manage to overturn that ranger's order and avoid taking the hostages lives."

"Some of them, you think, maybe you could've gotten them out and end their misery when you had the chance." I replied. "Maybe it's not the Legion that got them killed. Maybe it's your orders alone, and you following them without hesitation."

Crimson slid down to the floor, yawning as she sat. "There has come a time where we need to bend the rules a bit, sometimes go our way to push the boundaries if we need to. We are all human no matter what we are or what we do, even if we accept it or not."

"You got a point there." I never knew Crimson can be this wise, despite making dumb mistakes, not knowing her sense of direction, even having amnesia. I got off the wall and walked near the teeth, gazing up at the moon in the sky. Somehow, the glow from it reminds me of the blue star glowing on Crimson's bottle cap. It went awfully quiet for about five minutes. I turned around and, sure enough, Crimson is asleep. "I wonder if she is a quick sleeper." I mumbled.

_We are all human no matter what we are it what we do. _The words Crimson said echoed in my mind, making me wonder why she would say something like that. I walked slowly and knelt down to see her peaceful, pale face illuminating from the moon.

_She really does look peaceful when she sleeps. _I felt the tempo rising from my heart against my chest each second I gaze at her. What's going on with me? It's like a whole different persona is starting to form in my subconscious because of her. Throughout the times we've covered each others backs from the REPCONN Test Site all the way until now, I'm surprised she is still alive...and always there near me in any situation at the most random moments.

My beathing quickened, I felt my whole body leaned forward to her on its own. Everything in my mind is screaming at me, telling me to stop. But this different persona that overtook my well-being resisted the warnings. I inched closer, my eyes shutting itself close, my lips just mere inches from her still lips. Something about her lures me closer, and closer. I wanted to just press my lips against hers.

"I can't do it..." I whispered to myself as I pulled away from her. I manage to take back myself, growling and clenching my fists because of what I was about to do."I just can't..." I picked her up with both of my arms by both under her knees and back, opening to door and careful making my way down to her apartment room. _I can't seem to do it no matter how much I wanted to. Even if I did, she would probably hate me, knowing her and her vengeful, amnesiac mind. _I got through the building door to the outside, making my way to the left of the motel rooms.

_Maybe...from now on, I should keep my distance from her if anything like this would ever happen...even if she tries to come close to me... _I'll have to remind myself that warning each time something like that were to come up in my mind...and in my dreams.

* * *

_**((5,000 views, everyone! Can't believe this story has made it that much ever since this story has been made. Thank you for reading, guys, and hope you'll stick around until the end! See you in the next chapter! -CS))**_


	40. Chapter 39 - Promotion

_**-(Quest Break)-**_

I wish all these dream could stop appearing whenever I sleep every day, mainly the nightmares. But, this dream had me wondering after I passed out five minutes after talking to Craig in the dinosaur building. The dream started after the events of rescuing the the hostages from the Legion. It was just me and Craig, nobody else but us. _I can't do it... _I heard Craig's soft voice called from inches away from me.

_Do what!? _I said in my dream. _What is it that you can't do? _I eyed Craig's mellow glare, his irises locked within mine as he leaned closer to me. _Craig, what are you doing!? _I felt my heart pound intensely against my upper ribs.

_Crimson, I wanted to tell you, _Craig whispered, mere inches from my lips. **Aaaand we're back! **I snapped my eyes wide open just as a different voice brought me out of having the dream Craig doing whatever he was trying to do in my dream. **"This is Mr. New Vegas, and you've just listened to Johnny Guitar. Let's hope the blues haven't darkened up your sunny day. It is 8:12 a.m, and we've got you some news for all of you warm hearts to hear. Hold on, just let me get my news fedora on."**

_Oh, it's just the radio... _I turned around to lie on my back, realizing I am back on my bed in Novac's motel room. I sat up, rubbed both of my eyes with my hands and stretched my arms up into the air. But the main question is: how did I get back in here?

**"NCR hostages in the camp of Nelson that use to be overrun by the Legion" **the guy in the radio spoke about last night's event. **"have been safely escorted alive when a band of diverse civilians, along with a few NCR members, have handled the Legion with ease. One of the civilians along with the group happened to be none other than the female courier assuming a different name that has recovered from Goodsprings."**

"That's me!" I yelled, astonished at how the radio guy mentioned me without even knowing I did it. Or maybe it might be someone watching my actions from other a distance or incognito. Either way, I hate being called a radio celebrity just because of the stuff I did for the NCR and the good people of some small towns.

**"This is Mr. New Vegas here, leaving you with one of my very favorite songs." **he spoke as I got off the bed and stretched for a good five seconds. **"Ever have one of those days where you can just let your mind wander and enjoy the day without no disturbance from work or anybody. I think this instrumental song will fit all that for you. It's one of those Lazy Days."**

On the radio, the song starts out slow with whatever is playing through the speaker. The beat was odd at first, but after a few seconds my head began nodding to the rhythm of the song. "Hmm..." The song proceeded, my walking following slowly to the beat until my whole body began moving from side to side. "Hmm, catchy..." I reached to the fridge and took off some thick kind of meat on a small plate. I kept bobbing my head to the music, taking the big meat off of the fridge and sat on the small table behind me. With the utensils, I cut up a small piece of it, prop it into my mouth to chew. "Not bad." I spoke, continuing eating the food, since I haven't ate that much in a while.

"CRIMSON!" The sound of Natalie barging through the door made me jump and fall backwards, with the chair, onto the ground. "Oops, sorry if I scared you. But, this is important! You must come and see!" She ran off, leaving my door wide open.

I growled as I lie on the ground, the chair under me making it uncomfortable just each second I stayed still. I used my body to roll away from the chair, pushing myself up to my feet and picking the chair up off the floor. "Why can't I just have one decent morning where I can take it easy from all the missions!?" I murmured to myself. After walking to the fridge and placing the semi-eaten meat inside, I turned around towards the little cabinet to grab my trench coat, the cloth with the breather, the sleeves for both my arms and my boots. With just my trench coat slung over my shoulder, I attached my Pip-Boy onto my left arm now that I figured out how to take the damn thing off and went out with the door shut behind me.

"Let me guess," I jumped about an inch off the metal platform just as Craig appeared out of nowhere from the stairs. "Boots barged into your room to tell you about some important thing she wanted us to see?" He now has the reinforced, leather armor on him again.

I slipped my hand through one of the holes of my blue trench coat. "Apparently so. I was in the middle of eating something in there since I haven't had a good meal in the past few days." Just when I got my other arm in, my stomach growled. "Ugh..." I groaned.

"Yeah," Craig replied, scratching the back of his neck. "I haven't had a decent meal in a while. Just before boots came through my door, I was eating some of that huge, Brahmin steak with jalapeno peppers sprinkled on top."

"Halopeeno?" I think that's how it spells, but either way it's completely new to me. "What is that, a chem of some sort?" Of course, who knows if I knew about that kind of thing before my memory was wiped out. Damn Benny...

Craig groaned and shook his head. "Let's just go check out what Boots want us to see." He twist himself to face the metal stairs and made his way down, with me following behind him. "Wonder what strange and stupid thing is happening there?"

I noticed both Veronica and Natalie sitting two feet from the same traveling merchant that brought us here all the way from Vault 22. His Brahmin, Timbuk, is sitting right beside him with the carriage harness off of him, while the merchant is stirring something un a small, gray bowl. "It takes patience to mix the right ingredients in a slow, circular motion." The merchant spoke. "Slow and steady, if you mix it too quick the mixture will be small and the effects won't be strong enough."

The merchant has some headwear that resembles a wide, brimmed hat with some cloth around his head. He also wears the same kind of armor Craig is wearing, except without the padding and metal on it. His complexion is pale, his eyes look small and squinty, and he has little stands of hair on his forehead. "You sure that mixture will work?" Veronica asked.

"Not to worry, ma'am." The merchant smiled. "This cactus elixir along with a special ingredient will have your senses heightened." He stopped spinning the small rock rod and set it on a small cloth beside him. "Done!"

Me and Craig got close to the three, with me being the closest to them. "Hey guys, what's going on? What do you want to show us, Natalie?" I turned to the familiar merchant. "Oh, it's you again!" I smiled. "I want to give you my thanks for bringing us here from Vault 22 last night. Saves us the trouble in walking, and saving our comrades back in Nelson."

The merchant, along with Veronica and Natalie, stood up on his feet with the bowl still in his hands. "It's always a pleasure to help out people in need. I am Terence Ko, if I haven't introduce myself properly. I believe you've already met my aged Brahmin Timbuk here, poor soul needed a good rest after a serious attack from the Jackal Gang last night near the west of town. I'm surprised he is still up and running even after he past the life expectancy of a normal Brahmin."

"He's right," Veronica spoke. "a Brahmin's lifespan is 30 years. But Timbuk, judging by his physique and the wrinkles on his skin, is probably about a good 44 years old. Some animals are so lucky to even live past their lifespan by about ten to even fifty years." We all eyed in a dumbfounded way to Veronica. "What? I love reading books about everything. I'm what some people call a bookworm."

"Either way, we should get going if we are ever going to report to General Hsu back at the camp." Craig notified. "Let's grab our things and head over there as soon as possible."

"Ah, but please." Terence walked up to me and Craig. "If you have time, why don't you try out my Heightened Cactus Elixir.I hope this will have your senses go up like a Deathclaw."

I took a quick look at Craig, having his arms cross and not moving a budge. "Fine," I sighed and took a small amount on my right index finger. I brought the light green with black dot substance towards my nose, taking a small whiff to a quite fragrant smell. "Hmm, smells good. What's in it?"

"Well, mainly cactus, for one." Terence replied. "And for the heightened effect, I added in some skin flakes of a Deathclaw."

Just as I propped the substance into my mouth, after hearing Terence's answer, I stopped myself and spit out the stuff. I kept spitting it out of my mouth, but the cringing taste still lingers my taste buds. "What the fuck are you trying to do, kill her!?" I heard Craig yelled as I saw him grab the cloth part of Terence's hate. "I swear, if I ever find any symptoms on her from that slop you called an elixir, I'll have your head on a-"

"Not. One. Move!" A voice out of nowhere made us get into twist our heads in different directions. A figure in a dark blue jump suit appeared with some kind of long, black blade weapon on Craig's right side of his neck. His whole head is covered by a mask with so e kind of skull pattern on the front. "Kill Mr. Ko, and I'll execute you with my katana!"

I went to reach for my hunting knife on my right hip, but all I can catch was air. "Damn it, left it in the room!" I growled. "Hey!" I yelled at the figure with the weapon, but his stance didn't twitch an inch.

"Azrael!" Terence yelled, making the masked figure turn to him. "That's never a good way to treat non-hostile guests with you unsheathing your katana. Please, stand down and greet our new acquaintances."

The one called Azrael turned his head to Craig then back to the merchant, drawing back his katana, or whatever it is, and sheathed it back in a long, sturdy holder. "My apologies, Mr. Ko. Direct orders from you is to strike down any hostile enemies who dares try to attack you in any sort if way. And this muscular NCR sniper happened to have stepped into your boundary lines."

Terence gently smiled and nodded. "You were just doing your job, understandable. But this NCR 1st Recon sniper is doing what he is suppose to do. And I understand my mixture isn't that...satisfying." He pulled Craig's hand away from his head cloth. "But even with failure, it is a small learning step to make any elixir or medicine a most profound and well usable to those who are sick or injured."

"Talk about a quack of a herbalist you are." Veronica bluntly spoke.

Terence just chuckled in a calm manner. "Call me a quack if you must, but I won't stop and give up making prototype mixtures to further our health in the long run. This wasteland is full of possibilities, endless upon endless of possibilities that will be obtain on the tips of our fingers."

"You see," Azrael turned to us, showing his skull decal mask. "Mr. Ko never sheds no ill will nor negativity when it comes to failures of his work. As much as his failed attempts left people sick or close to death, he always have stuff like stimpaks or other medicines to counteract them." He grabbed the top part of his mask and pulled it off, showing a male face with a pale skin tone, just a tad darker than Terence's, short, black hair and pale, blue eyes. "I am Azrael, also known as Reaper. I am Mr. Ko's protector and a former Brotherhood of Steel member."

"Former Brotherhood of Steel member!?" Veronica shrieked, running to him. "I'm Veronica, by the way, and I'm from the Brotherhood as well!" She turned slightly to a different direction, placing both her hands on her head with an ecstatic smile. "W-Wow! I-I've never met a wandering Brotherhood member is so many year since I've stayed in the 188!" She turned around and placed both of her hands on Azrael's shoulders. "How's the Elder doing? What about the members!?"

Azrael kept a neutral, unfazed expression on his face, bringing both Veronica's arms back to her. "I said I am a former member, Ms. Veronica." Wow, he's even polite to strangers as well. "Unfortunately, I was banished by the Elder himself after I threatened him to cut off one of his arms if the lockdown hasn't lift."

"You...threatened him!?" Veronica stood back. "I know the Elder can be a total dickwad and a jerk at times, but he cares about the fellow members there. I'd feel bad if I were to ever do something like that." She made a gloomy look, just for a tiny second until her face lit up again. "So, how did you decide to travel with this quack here?"

Azrael unzipped his outfit, showing a black tuxedo all unwrinkled and clean and cleared his throat. "Call Mr. Ko a quack as much as you want, but he never gives up on anything he wishes to achieve." After firmly folding the suit with the mask on top, he got on his black dress suits and places a black top hat on his head. "After I became banished by the Elder himself, I wandered around the wastes, looking for anything to satisfy my intense hatred by cutting off the heads of any gangs, bounty hunters, and poachers. Seeing their black but terrified faces when I decapitate them only filled up a small void. But, Mr. Ko here filled an even bigger void when he asked me to accompany him after a huge gang of raiders tried to kill him for his weapons and caps."

I smiled a bit. "It is great having someone wanting to travel along with you. Veronica is one of them when she asked if she can travel with Craig, Natalie, and myself." Bit a little subject end up hitting me on the side of the head, no pun intended. "Speaking of companions, has anyone seen Eric!?"

"Right 'ere, fellers!" I turned to see Eric, the bounty hunter, all covered in water droplets with nothing but a towel, eye patch, and slippers as he is standing a few yards from me and the others. "Ah, nothin' like a steamin' shower t' freshen up th' mornin'."

I turned at Eric, but noticed something unusual about his right foot. His amputated foot from the mid shin down now has a replacement foot with some metal brace, and a metal foot. Seems like Eric already has the hang of the new foot. "Nice new foot, Eric! Seems like you've already gotten use to walking on it without trouble. Have you used some stimpaks to make it better?"

I can hear Natalie from my right groaning in detest. "Eric, can you put on some clothes instead of standing there with just your towel!? Aren't you embarrassed about being outside like that?"

Eric waved a hand in protest. "No need t' be flustered on a man with only a towel. I think I deserve th' cleanliness after a hard day after work!" Just then, a huge wind gust made the towel unravel and showed Eric's private parts, which made Veronica laugh, Natalie screamed and me forcefully turned around by Craig. "Oops..." Eric chuckled weakly from behind me.

I heard the loud, irritated growl by Craig to my right. "I'll show you fucking oops!" I heard his footsteps go to Eric. "Crimson, don't try to turn around!" He yelled along with a constant banter coming from the both of them followed by a door slamming shut.

"Well," Veronica spoke with her arms folder on her chest. "whoever knew hunter had such a small di-mmrrmrr!" I noticed Natalie covering Veronica's mouth just before she was able to finish. Veronica managed to pull Natalie's hand off of her and took a deep breath. "What;? I'm being honest!"

"Honesty is great," Terence spoke, bringing his Brahmin up on all fours. "but sometimes honesty can lead to a hurtful soul. And even with an open mind, one must watch their words carefully, otherwise friendships will easily be broken without warning."

After hearing what Terence said brought a point there. _What if Craig is like that? _I questioned myself. _Or maybe me? _As much as I want to tell Craig about what I thinking in my head, but what if I said something that would make him leave? Could I just keep the questions to myself, hoping a bullet won't be in my head? "We should probably head back to the camp right away. Hsu must be waiting for us there."

"I agree, let's not waste time here." Craig, to my surprise, appeared with a dressed Eric in a turtle neck, dark blue, mid sleeved shirt along with a couple of straps around his shoulders and under arms, the same brown gloves, tan pants, and dark gray boots.

"We better get our weapons first before we have to leave." Natalie spoke. "What good are we if we end up fighting some raiders with only our fists!? No offense Veronica."

"None taken. I get the memo." Veronica giggled.

"Then let me and Azrael travel with you there." Terence said, hopping onto the front of the carriage and sat on the long, horizontal board. "Maybe along the way, we can get to know more of each other and I can spruce up more elixirs."

"Just make sure you five don't end up antagonizing Mr. Ko here." Azrael warned, clicking his katana slightly out of the scabbard. "I wont hesitate to make a clean cut through your necks."

"Alright, let's stock up on what little supplies we get and bring our weapons." I instructed. "The sooner we get to the camp, the quicker we get to whatever mission we will go off on." I turned quickly around toward the motel, sprinting as fast as I can to grab anything I need for the long travel back to the camp. Just hope we will get the missions done quick so we can head to New Vegas.

* * *

We all have arrived after a long three hour ride from Novac to the metal gates of Camp McCarran. Man, it feels like its been a while since we've last been here during the Vault 22 mission. I just hope Hsu and Hildern aren't too mad at us for disobeying the rules. "I'll wait for you guys over here until you get back." Terence notified, hopping off the carriage seat to feed Timbuk.

"Hopefully it wont be long." I laughed weakly, entering through the risen metal door to the interior of the camp. All five of us, excluding Azrael who stayed with Terence, walked through the rugged road onward to the terminal building. We passed by each of the NCR soldiers, who've given us a big smile on their face. "I wonder why they are smiling at us?" I murmured to my battalion.

"I don't know." Natalie looked around at the soldiers. "I doubt it's about both 1st Recon and Eric leaving without prior notice, or maybe that we have save the NCR hostages after disobeying an order when we are not suppose to enter into Nelson that was riddled with Legion."

"Seein' 'em smilin' like that kinda makes me wonder, too." Eric said, hearing a step and a clacking sound in a slow pattern. "We've basically broke ev'ry order in this here camp, they should be disappointed in us."

Craig let out a hard exhale. "Well, I bet we will be stuck here with a few more missions until we are completely wiped out of punishment. I doubt that once we see General Hsu, the slate would be cleaned on all five of us."

Veronica opened the nearest door to let us all go in. "Well, guess we will have to find out ourselves." Once we are all in, we walked toward the left and past the sand bag stacked barricade with yet another smiling NCR soldier.

"There you three are!" We heard Angela walking from the right of us five. "I am so glad you made it back alive! You've should've seen the look on Dr. Hildern's face after Keeley told him out. He was like _'But I-!', 'Wait a-", "Now look here-". _She wouldn't let him finish a sentence. Just reamed him out for sending all those people to the vault. I've never seen his face so red and twitchy."

Natalie, Veronica and I laughed at what Angela told us about Hildern. "It's a good thing though." I spoke. "I wish I could've seen Hildern's face when he noticed that Keeley is still alive and well."

Angela could resist a little laugh. "Thank you three so much for making sure she is safe. I owe you a lot on that, hoping Dr. Hildern doesn't end up yelling at you. I knew I had a good feeling about you three."

"I see you've got the memo that Dr. Keeley gave me a pleasant call last night." Hildern popped up from behind Angela. "It seems we have to thank you for keeping her alive. Very charitable of you you three. So, do you have what I wanted from the vault?"

I gave him a detestful glare, folding my arms over my chest. "Apparently, the data you wanted has been deleted."

Hildern's eyes widen, but shrunken in the last second. "Destroyed...really." He kept a calm tone over what it seems to be a dissatisfied attitude. "I find it hard to believe. More likely, you failed to locate the proper server."

"Keeley wiped out the data, sir." Natalie spoke, walking to my left. "Those plants on the vault are highly dangerous. Not to mention that the toxic spores that were floating around there almost killed and made Crimson a Spore Carrier monster."

"Keeley..." He growled at the name. "Who else would fail to give a fuck about that thousands of people are going to starve, without that data? And for what!? So she can wage her selfish little war against me and the OSI."

Veronica stepped to my left, her face all serious. "Whether you like it or not, doc. It is the truth. Those plants, the people from long ago who made that data, they've made mutations upon mutations of plants that's are highly hostile and toxic. If the data got into the wrong hands, who knows when history will repeat itself if that were to ever happen."

"Keeley was only looking out for those outside of the vault." I added. "She wanted the safety of every wastelander in this area. I was almost turned onto one if the Spore Carriers and was almost going to die if Keeley didn't came up with a prototype antidote to sure the Dexcrobis Hibcus." Wow, that's a mouthful to say.

Hildern's face went completely red, his face fuming with anger in mere seconds. "Keeley fucking this, Keeley fucking that. Keeley, Keeley, Keeley!" He growled. "Do you understand that old rotting bitch has done!? We had a chance to avoid that! And I had a chance to prove that scientists could be more than a bunch of useless idealists. But Keeley doesn't give a god damn about that, doesn't she!?"

"Now, Dr. Hildern." Angela faced him with her arms crossed. "Keeley is a wonderful scientist. She does care for the people here a d their safety. Obviously you've either failed to realize the truth or you're just looking to find some way to gain self-glory from all the people and NCR member alike."

Hildern turned directly at Angela and gave her a hard back hand to her face, making her fall to the ground. "You incompetent bitch. If it weren't for you being in the way, none of this would've happened. Maybe you and those three whores here are an accomplice in this. Keeley is one old woman- those three could've easily stopped her." He turned to us now, his face still fuming. "Either you three are incompetent, or you were on her side." He shifted his arms to be behind his back. "Now, I'll have to ask you all to leave my damn sight, or I'll have the soldiers to escort you out by force."

"I believe that won't be a problem, Hildern." A raspy voice called from behind us just after the door opened. We turned to see Keeley, holding some kind of dark green ball, Hsu, and Boyd walking through the doors passed the five of us to Hildern. "It's time you tell us the truth about your hidden agendas for your little self-gain."

Hildern created his fake, calm demeanor because of both Hsu and Boyd being beside Keeley. "You've destroyed the data that I needed for those people who are starving in the wastes. I believe you owe me an apology, Dr. Keeley." Out of nowhere, two NCR soldiers grabbed both of his arms and hold him by the shoulders. "Wait, what is the meaning of this!?" He yelled.

"Keeley has revealed some much needed information that has regarding you sending in mercenaries over to the vault. "Hsu spoke calmly. "And, she has also revealed some works previous scientists, including Dr. Angela and Keeley here, have accomplished that you've passed it on as yourself being the self-proclaimed successor of the projects. I believe I am going to have your position being filled in by Keeley here.."

"And I say," Boyd took a puff of smoke from her cigarette. "I can't believe a group of women have handled a situation like this when you can't. Bet that made you feel really embarrassed about it." She, along with Angela standing up, giggled for a few seconds.

Hildern growled through his teeth. "You women think you are better than the men in this damn wastes. You think you can throw away priceless information when you know there are thousands, or millions of people out there who are dying from starvation!?"

"You, Dr. Hildern," Keeley said, still holding the strange ball in her hands. "couldn't handle the truth nor could face the fact that the plants in the vault were dangerous. I've been looking out for those people, and making sure none of them followed the same fate as the people who use to live there. You deserve some time in a little cell of your own."

"You'll..." Hildern spoke as the two soldiers escort him up the escalator. "you'll pay for this, Keeley!" Hildern kept grumbling to himself until he and the soldiers disappeared out of sight.

She turned around to meet her ghoulish gaze at us. "I wanted to thank you again for saving me over at the vault and helped me even save millions of lives out here. I didn't think anybody like you three would able to do that and survive in one piece. Not to mention almost turning into one of the Spore Carriers. So, as something to show you three my gratitude, this is a present for you." Keeley handed the ball to Natalie.

Natalie grabbed the ball and examined it in her hands. "What's this?" She spoke. The ball moved and wiggled, making her flinched. "W-W-What's going on!?"

Keeley made a slight chuckle and smiled. "You'll see."

The little ball kept on wiggling and moving to a while. And after a few little movements, the ball folded out, turning out to be none other than Natalie's gecko companion, Kip. "KIP!" She shrieked with joy, holding Kip by the body. "OH MY GOD YOU ARE ALIVE!" Tears streamed out of her eyes as she held her chittering gecko companion close to her, having him licked the tears in the process.

"But," I spoke, completely astonished. "how did Kip managed to survive the explosion!? Just by the grenade alone should've killed him easily."

"He's one of those rare, intelligent geckos." Keeley answered. "Compared to regular geckos, their brains are thirteen percent more bigger and functional. They're able to comprehend throughout the first few days after birth, able to understand people even though they can't talk, and if they have imprinted on a said person or a mother gecko, they are willing to protect him or her from any hostility around them. That little gecko was able to roll itself into a ball, along with its thick skin, and survive the explosion. He also came to me just before I was about to leave the vault hours ago."

Natalie's face is still full of tears when she walked up to Keeley and gave her a warm hug. "Thank you so much, Dr. Keeley." She pulled back and stood a foot ways from her, holding her little gecko. "I couldn't thank you enough for bringing Kip back."

"Speaking of which," Hsu turned directly at us. "I believe I need to talk to you five about something important."

I knew the atmosphere would change dramatically once Hsu has the floor. "I know, sir." Natalie spoke with her head down. "The five of us broke your orders and went against them when we were in Nelson." She raised her head up to make eye contact with the general. "But both 1st Recon and Eric behind me were being held hostage as well by the Legion. When Crimson, Veronica, and I have heard the news from Ranger Milo that they are there."

"Right!" I spoke up, walking to Natalie's side. "Of course, Natalie here couldn't disobey an order when it is directed, but both Craig and Eric are part of our battalion. We can't let the Legion have their way and keep them tied up when no one else isn't going to do something and stop it. So, we've decided to handle it out."

"But, not only we saved both hulk and hunter," Veronica pulled up right beside Natalie. "we saved the NCR soldiers that were being crucified after we ward off the Legion. Though one manage to walk off on us, but that gave us leg room to escort the wounded soldiers out of the camp."

"So..." Natalie stepped forward, now a bit closer to Hsu. "I guess this means we still have more missions to do for our battalion punishment. But, no matter. As long as I am with my squadron, there is nothing in this wasteland that can stop us from accomplishing it. We all fall together on this," she turned to us. "right, guys?"

"Right!" The four of us said together.

We all turned our attention to the quiet General Hsu in front of Natalie. He kept silent for a good long minute until both corners of his lips curled up into a smile. "If you haven't noticed all of the soldiers smiling at you five, it's probably because you haven't figured out the real reason behind it."

Now things are starting to get confusing. "Wait, what do you mean, sir?" Natalie asked, keeping her arms at a good hold of Kip.

"What you five have did as a working battalion have made a large impact in the military." Hsu answered, keeping his smile. "With your help, and a little bit of rule bending at some point, it has created less worry and more NCR lives saved by your acts alone. If it hadn't been for the events that happened over at Boulder City, none could've been accomplished this far. And I owe a lot you five." He met his eyes at Natalie. "And you, Recruit Sanders."

Natalie stood at attention when her name is called. "Yes, sir?"

Hsu chuckled a little. "Actually, how about I should call you Private Sanders. You are being promoted.


	41. Chapter 40 - Seperate Ways

_**-They Went That-A-Way Pt. 4-**_

All was quiet in the large terminal building of Camp McCarran, besides the small ring in my ears, when we have heard General Hsu announced Natalie's promotion after both rescuing Dr. Keely from within Vault 22 and the NCR soldiers from the Legion's crucifixion method back at Nelson. I noticed Natalie's shoulders beginning to quiver slightly. "I've...been promoted?" Natalie breathed out the words through her weak and quickened exhales.

Hsu smiled while standing still with his arms behind his back. "Yes, Private Sanders. Like I have said moments ago, your actions along with your battalion has greatly impact the military with many lives being saved and a lot more aware than before." His gentle smile faded, created a more grave expression as to something bad is to come. "But that doesn't mean there will be less worry in the long run. Our thoughts are still about the Legion."

"Ow come th' Legion is still on ya'lls mind?" Eric questioned as he cleared his throat.

"It's about the Hoover Dam we have to protect." Boyd answered for Hsu. "That, and we don't know if there are more Legion spies lurking around the Mojave or any of the NCR posts. Even though you somehow manage to find one who had been leaking our top-class information to their base, we might never know if one of the NCR soldiers around here are another one of their spies."

"That's why I rather plant a bullet in their heads and be done with them." Craig growled. "Those bastards killed most of our men out on the field and in hiding from afar. Why can't we at least kill the leader while we are at it!?"

Boyd shook her head, breathing sharply out of her plumped lips. Even her eyebrows pulled together to form one line. "Let mw know once you are being ambushed as you charged head on without a solid plan. Many of the Legion make sure they do whatever they can to protect their "beloved" Caesar from harm even if it means sacrificing themselves."

"So, as of now, the Legion has thought two steps ahead since their loss in the First Battle and at Boulder City." Natalie suggested, keeping a good hold of her gecko, Kip. "But the main question is: How will we counteract it?"

Yet another long pause created a hint of heaviness in the small circle. Natalie did bring up a good point into the subject. If the Legion had been planning ahead of time after the First War, the NCR would never be fully prepared for any unexpected strategy the Legion may pull out of their skirts. "That, we will do what we can to thwart their plans to do so." The ghoul speaking Keely answered.

Hsu nod his head once as an agreement to Keely's answer. "Correct. But right now, we still have work to do if we are going to push the Legion away from the Mojave."

"I hope this doesn't mean we will have to endure a few more missions here as a group, right?" Veronica groaned, planting her hands behind her head. "Well, I actually don't mind working alongside both Natalie and Kip, just as long a-"

"I'm afraid that is not an option, Brotherhood." Hsu stopped her. "As of now, all five of you have been relieved of your group punishment and are free to leave." Hsu turned his head directly at Natalie. "And as for you, Private Sanders. We will have a discussion about your first solo mission as a Private."

"Solo mission?" I spoke after a long silence. "Wait, you mean...Natalie isn't leaving with us?"

Boyd bobbed her head down once. "I'm afraid so, Crimson." She said, hating to break the bad news. "I know you five have gotten use to working as one single unit through the short amount of time, but there comes a time where even one soldier is order to work solo without any help from others. That's how it works here in the NCR."

"Correct." Hsu added. "Now, regarding your mission, I assume we don't have any authorization to have hostile animals be a part of the NCR military." He noted to Natalie, mentioning her gecko in her arms. "I'm afraid I am going to ask you to let the gecko go."

I heard Natalie's high gasp of surprise as she took a step back away from Hsu with het arms tightening around Kip. "But, General Hsu!" She shrieked. "Kip wouldn't be hostile towards anybody unless I am threatened! Please, sir, I want to have Kip as my NCR companion!"

"It doesn't work that way, Boots." Craig spoke, his dark brown brows pulled down to a stern line. "The NCR is only assigned to have guard dogs, as they are highly capable of being trained to protect their owner and their comrades."

I turned to pull one of my brows up at Craig. "You're also an NCR soldier Craig." I mentioned. "Why haven't you got a guard dog of your own before you became a sniper?" Knowing Craig, I highly doubt he'll ever answer such a ridiculous question.

Craig huffed through his broad nose in one quick exhale. "They get in the way of my line of sight. Not only that, they will maul and kill my target faster than I can pull the trigger of my rifle. Not going to go through that experience again..." Closing his eyes, she crossed his large, muscle tone arms over his torso while shaking his head several times.

"Onto the important subject, everyone." Hsu got our attention. "Sanders, I can't give you permission unless we speak to the ambassador himself about authorizing you to have a hostile creature into NCR grounds." I heard a small, but quiet, sigh escaped his nostrils. "But, I may let you have that approval with a little rule bending, as you five call it. But in the meantime, you guys have five minutes to talk amongst yourselves before we bring Private Sanders in for her solo objective. I'll be in my office." Hsu, along with Boyd by his side, turned and walked over to the nearest door to their right.

With Natalie releasing a disappointed sigh, she turned around to face the four of us. "Well..." She began to speak, tightening her hold around Kip and making sure he doesn't get suffocated. "I guess this is where we go out separate ways, huh?"

"But..." Veronica squeaked in distraught. "I don't want to leave you behind, Natalie...I can't bear to not have a lot of fun traveling together through the Mojave. Why can't you protest against it!?" Even though most of her face was covered my her dark brown hood, her voice shook and a stream of tears ran down her right cheek.

Natalie turned her attention to Veronica. "I'm sorry, Veronica. As an NCR soldier, I can't disobey orders from my high authorities unless otherwise." She lift her left hand up and rest it on Veronica's right shoulder. "I hope soon we will see each other in the future, while we try to protect our courier friend from dying out in the wasteland. Or maybe end up losing her sense of direction and fall into an irradiated puddle."

"Hey!" I yelled as Natalie and Veronica laughed. "I may have the damn amnesia from Benny, but I wouldn't be stupid enough to do anything like that!"

Craig somehow let out a slight chuckle. "Shit, you've done more stupid stuff like spitting the pieces of apple from your mouth to my face before we headed over to the REPCONN Test Site."

I spun my head quickly at Craig. "Th-That was an accident, I swear!" I could've sworn I felt my face burning up from that embarrassing moment Craig had to mention at the wrong time. "And I told you I was sorry for doing that. But that's not the point, we are here to say our farewells to Natalie before we leave for New Vegas."

"Aw, shucks." Eric walked over to Natalie and pat her back. "I hope there's a way t' meet again while e're travelin' th' wastes. I'm gon' miss ya, Natie." He gave off a slight chuckle from saying Natalie's new nickname.

Natalie glared at Eric, disgust at the nickname he came up with for her. "Don't call me that, Eric." She brought her hand back from Veronica's shoulder and placed it under her other arm that is holding Kip. "Well," she sighed. "I guess this is where we disband, hmm?"

"I wouldn't fret that much, young soldier." Keely spoke from behind Natalie. "You guys will be separated for a while, but there will be a time where you'll cross paths one day. Either thwarting the Legion's plans of ruling the Mojave or stopping a mad scientist from making someone else's work as his own." Her hoarse chuckle caused all of us, excluding Craig, to laugh along with her as she mentioned the two-faced Hildern.

I'm glad Keely is able to lift the spirits up in all of us in a time of separation. But just as I was about to announced out departure, something popped up in my mind. "Oh, right, I almost forgot." I dug into my left coat pocket for the small switchblade Natalie let me borrow during time my knife was still in Craig's possession. "I want to give this back to you now that I got my hunting knife back."

Natalie reached for the knife until it was snatched away from Veronica. Taken aback from that gesture, me and Natalie eyed the protective Brotherhood wanderer. "I-I'm sorry guys..." She shyly retract. "c-can I at least keep this if ai want to remember you, Natalie?"

"I'm afraid that's not allow, miss." Keely answered directly, almost milliseconds ahead from Natalie giving out her answer. "It has to return to the person responsible of that certain item, whether lost or being lend to. That is how the NCR works around with their inventory, believe me."

"I'll let Brotherhood have permission to hold on to the item for the time being, Dr. Keely." Hsu appeared right at us without even knowing. "Private Sanders, the ambassador wishes to speak with you regarding your mission and your traveling guard companion. Follow me." He twist his head slightly to see the rest of us from the 5-man battalion. "And I believe you said you are heading over to New Vegas, correct?"

I was the first one to nod immediately. "Yes, Hsu. That is where we are heading towards."

"Well, I highly doubt we are authorized to let civilians use the other monorail trail while we repair the first one," Hsu said, reference to the monorail explosion caused by the NCR soldier but Legion spy Curtis implanting a bomb in the air vent. "My best course for New Vegas would be to go through a place called Freeside. Just hoping you are extra prepared once you arrive there, you don't want to be pickpocketed there." He then turned to Natalie again. "Sanders, follow me."

"Yes, sir." Natalie answer while keeping a good hold of Kip in her arms. She turned to us, forming a little weak smile on her face. "So long, guys." With her head turned back around and lowered she proceeded to follow her superior to his office with the door shut behind her.

"I wish you all the best of luck on your travels, everyone." Keely commented, waving her ghoul hand slightly as she followed Angela to what it use to be Hildern's office.

Veronica, looking down on the switchblade Hsu gave an okay to hold onto for Natalie, turned around to face us while a sharp breath of air escaped her lips. "Things won't be the same without Natalie traveling with us. Even though we've only known each other for a short amount of time, it feels we've known each other longer than that." Gripping on the weapon, she held it tightly against her chest with both if her hands.

"'ey, no gettin' yer spirits down in th' dumps." Eric smiled, trying to enlighten her a bit. "Soon 'r later, we'll meet with Natie faster than you c'n say jinglin' spurs on th' wastes! Just gotta 'ave patience, young V!"

"And speaking of patience," I spoke up. "I think I've gone through enough of that for the oast few days handling with the group punishment. But, glad all of that is done and over with, and nothing in the way of getting to our destination. We better head back to Terence and Azrael right away so we can get there."

"Couldn't agree more." Craig softly spoke. "If I had to endure one more fucking mission because of Boots's stupid mistakes, I swear I'll let her deal with the punishments herself." He twist himself around towards the door. "Let's get out of here...finally."

Without any complaints or further stalling, we followed Craig out the nearest door to the outside camp grounds. Traveling through the sun-bathed road beneath our feet's, I look east at the tallest building towering above New Vegas, the windows shining from the sun above us. "Next stop: New Vegas and then The Tops casino to confront Benny. Finally, I can get my answers and that Platinum Chip from his grasp once and for all." I murmered to myself, feeling the quicken beat of my heart tapping against my chest. Anticipation overflowed my blood system each step I take towards the open metal doors through the borders of Camp McCarran.

"Then what will you do after that?" I heard Craig's murmur to my left, unexpectedly. I turned to see him walking beside me, keeping his pace the same as mine with his green eyes glued to mine. "Obviously you don't have any plans after exacting your revenge on that Benny guy in your blank mind of yours."

Craig brought a good point to my objective. What if I did get the answers and the chip from Benny, is there anything else I should do after that? Maybe I did have something in my mind before I got shot by him back in Goodspring, just wish I knew what it was. "I'll probably remember that subject someday, who knows when the next memory clip will pop up in my head."

"I'll be ready to keep you standing when that happens." He offered as we stopped just feet away from the carriage as the metal door closed down from behind us. "What's this?" I looked to see Craig bending down, grabbing what it seems to be the hibiscus flower I've obtained back in Vault 22. He stood back up, twirling the intact flower slowly with his forefinger and thumb, his expression turned to a more perplexing one.

"Oh, that's an hibiscus flower." I answered, having Craig looking at me with one of his bold brows raised up. "I-It's a type of flower looking plant I got in Vault 22, which apparently brought up some memory of seeing a bush full of it somewhere. Though, I probably didn't realize it fell off my ear when we arrived here." I chuckled embarrassingly as I looked to the side. "Bet you think I am very oblivious to everything around me...even on me."

Craig eyed back at the flower and sighed. "Quite..." The only sound I can hear besides the gentle wind was the soft sound of his breathing through his nose. "Though, I have never seen anything like this before. Hell, never in my life if I can recall." He shift his gaze back to me, his face more softened up now.

Just by looking directly at his eyes made my cheeks burn. "Umm..." I uttered. "Can I have the flower, please?" I held my hand out in front of Craig for him to place the hibiscus on the palm.

Craig glared at my hand in silence, then at me. With one movement, he brought his arm with the flower in hand past mine and slipped the stem part of it through the little gap on my ear. Bringing his arm back, I see some redness appearing on his face. "There." was all he can say through his gentle gaze.

_Huh? _I kept staring at him, petrified in place from offering me the flower in a different way than I can never imagine. Confusing at it seems, I just wish something from within my voice box can escape and ask him why, but it's like my voice was prevented to ever come out because of Silus's tightened grip during interrogation.

"Ey, lovebirds!" Eric yelled from the carriage. "Y'all comin' with us 'r are we gonna hightailed on towards th' big lights!? Gamblin' ain't gonna spurt out caps on its own ya know!"

"Are whores and caps all on your mind, tiny?" Veronica bluntly said, placing her huge Tesla Cannon into the wooden carriage beside Azrael. "Seriously, you need to find a new hobby quick or you'll contract RadCrabs. I remember my cousin contracting that after her so called womanizing boyfriend went to bed a-"

"I git it, gosh darn it!" Eric interrupted her, seemingly annoyed at her bantering. "I ain't gon' contract any disease 'ere in these wastes. And by th' way, why d'ya call me tiny? I am taller than you by a long shot!"

Veronica giggled a little. "I wouldn't say that about that little package in your pants. I bet Crimson wouldn't be brave enough to deliver something that microscopic to whatever prostitute you want to bang at he Gomorrah!"

"Hey!" Me and Eric yelled at the same time, though I was the one who felt my face burning up from that provocative comment Veronica made.

Veronica began to giggle a little, then exceeded to a hysterical laughter while hooking aboard the carriage, leaving the board down for me and Craig to hop in. "I swear, this will be an interesting trip we are going to go through, Mr. Ko." Azrael said with his hand covering his face slightly.

Terence, while stepping up to the front seat behind his Brahmin, Timbuk, formed a sincere smile just before grabbing the reigns. "Interesting as it seems, but we all learn our differences and accept them whether we embrace it or refuse to. That's how we meet companions, and chose the right ones and separate them from the one who will manipulate you in any strategy they can plan."

Me and Craig managed to hop into the carriage before bringing up the back, wooden flap to keep us from falling out. I released a sigh before turned my attention to Terence. "Set a course to Freeside, Terence. New Vegas is waiting for me to deal with Benny." After calling up the destination, I heard my stomach growled so loud, it caused everyone to look at me. "Sorry, hadn't eaten much in a while." I smiled weakly.

"Not to worry, Ms. Crimson." Terence stop up and turned around, grabbing a wooden lid off of the crate in front of us. "I made sure to pack some essentials along with us in case we are ever to travel in long distances. But since Freeside is only a Brahmin ride away, only some are needed to keep you energized." He placed the lid in the small gap between the crate and the front wall of the carriage. "Onward to Freeside."

**"Battalion 21. Repeat, Battalion 21."** somebody from some radio called out, until I realized it came from my radio. **'This is Private Natalie Sanders calling from Camp McCarran terminal, requesting to speak with my battalion, over."**

I reached into my right coat pocket for my NCR Emergency Radio I've received from an NCR ranger near the 188. "Crimson here, Natalie. Have you got the information about your mission?"

**"I'm sorry, Crimson," **Natalie's tone of voice sounded different than exciting. **"I am not authorized to give Intel of my current object to any outsiders of the NCR, frankly." **I bet Natalie didn't want to keep quiet about her mission, but since she is under Hsu's direct orders, it must be hard on her. **"But, I am authorized to tell you and everyone else that we will meet again someday. For the past several days, it had been a wonderful experience with people like you. Learning about working as a team, protecting others, even getting to know people from different places and occupations. All of you: Eric, 1st Recon, Veronica, and Crimson, if it hadn't been for you four, I wouldn't have gotten this far in the military. I want to give my thanks to you, and how lucky I am to have friends and comrades like you."**

I couldn't help but smile from Natalie's heartful speech to her battalion. "Thanks Natalie, it does mean a lot to all of us over here. And, why did you call us 'Battalion 21' to begin with?"

**"Oh, General Hsu gave us that name a moment ago after you left." **Natalie answered through the speaker. **"Says that our battalion bring good luck to the NCR."**

"I don't know how luck plays a role in this..." Craig mumbled next to me.

"Glad I'm part of the round-up, Natie." Eric chuckled. "Don" ya worry. I'll keep an eye out if we ever cross paths again."

Veronica sighed a little. "It'll be different without you traveling with us. Who will I enjoy eating Fancy-Lad Cakes and Nuka-Cola while reading Grognak the Barbarian issue number 15!?" She pretended to wipe a tear away from her left eye. "None of the people here around me will do it, even Eric here is no good as a traveling companion!"

"Tan my hide an' create a sunburn...ouch..." Eric grumbled sarcastically through his teeth.

**"No worries everyone, we will reunite one day." **Natalie reassured. **"But, I have to go now for my solo mission. Oh, I forgot to mention that Kip is now part of the NCR, being the very first domestic gecko to ever become part of The military. Private Sanders, out." **Along with a little chitter from Kip, the radio went silent except for a small static in the speaker.

Grinning, I placed my radio back into my coat pocket before using the same hand to dig into the crate for an apple I can nibble on. "I'm glad Natalie is happy that Kip is now part of the NCR. Though, I am going to miss her company and Kip's little clicking noises he makes." I took one chunk off the aide of the apple.

"I couldn't agree more, Crimson." Veronica agreed, grabbing a box of potato chips from the crate. "Eating along is unhealthy for me. Hey, Hulk." She held the open box near Craig, revealing some weird shaped, thin snack inside. "want something to munch on while we head over to Freeside?"

Craig glared at Veronica and turned his head away. "I'm on a strict diet..." He growled.

Veronica made a pouting facial features. "Spoil sport!" She whined, brining the box back to herself before grabbing one of the chips out of the box. But in an instant, some black flying animal swooped down and took the chip from your hand. "Hey, give that back you damn bird!"

Taking a few more bites from my apple, I began to laugh along with Eric, seeing Veronica standing on her knees while leaning up against the carriage's edge. I went to take another bite, after quickly chewing down the contents on my mouth, my apple was snatched away by something. "H-Hey!" I yelled, tracing the direction to who grabbed my apple from me. And sure enough, it was Craig. "Why did you do that!?"

All Craig did was glare at me with his usual cold eyes before taking his bite off the apple. "I'm hungry..." He replied, taking two more huge chunks before tossing it back to me. "If you don't want to eat the apple with my saliva on it, might as well throw it." He added, keeping himself quiet with a mouthful of food.

"Hey!" Veronica whined. "Why can Hulk take a bite out of Crimson's apple and not accept my offering!? That is unfair!"

"What, I only bit onto the other aide of the apple where Crimson's mouth didn't touch." Craig noted. "If Crimson were to bite onto the part where I did mine, I have no problem with it..."

"What yer sayin' is that you want Crims there t' accept yer indirect kiss?" Eric nonchalantly commented, making the extreme heat form all over my face. Ar that moment, Craig grabbed my apple and shoved it against his mouth, making his teeth dig through the red skin. Eric took the apple off of his mouth and tossed it out the carriage. "Eh, what's that fer!"

"Can we just go now!?" He barked. "We are wasting valuable time here!" Craig leaned back on the carriage with his arms crossed against his torso.

"But before we can get to New Vegas," Azrael spoke up, making me jump an inch off of the wood. Damn, is he always this quiet? "Mr. Ko, we still have orders to meet with a Juile Farkas within the Old Mormon Fort right away to drop off a case of Stimpaks." He got up and walked to Terence with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Ah, Ms. Farkes." Terence echoed, kindly taking the paper from Azrael's hand. "My friends, would you mind if we make ourselves a little delivery to the Old Mormon Fort within Freeside to drop ourselves some Stimpaks? I had forgot to drop them off a day ago all due to the traveling with everyone." He held his grip on the small folded paper with order against the reigns that is now attached to Timbuk.

Everybody turned their attention to me, as I am the one who has set the destination to arrive at New Vegas. But now there are more things holding up, I think New Vegas is somehow out of the question. "Alright, guess we can do a little delivery over there."

"You know," Veronica spoke up."it's kind of ironic how we have ourselves a courier amongst ourselves in the group. But, at the same time, it is not her delivery." She giggled as she propped another chip into her mouth.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation. "Alright, this won't take long." Terence notified, making a few clicks with his mouth and snapped on the reigns, causing Timbuk to pull forward. The carriage began moving along with it, beginning our voyage towards Freeside.

* * *

For a good 45 minutes into the Brahmin ride, we reached one of the burgundy gates of what it seem to lead into Freeside. There was another gate we passed by not too long ago, but Terence suggested the one by the huge sign reading "Freeside" in big letters and an arrow pointing down at it. The five of us, excluding Terence who has to navigate the carriage through, hopped off of the ride and walked our way feet from the gate. "Never been this far in the wasteland before." Veronica scratched her head with the left hand.

"Oh look, just what we need." All of our heads turn to three men standing in a little space with cigarettes on their hands. Two of them have light skin while the third one has dark skin, but all have the same hair style and jacket. The three guys stared directly at us. "I hope this is your first time arriving at Freeside. If you're not prepared, better turn back around."

Azrael stepped forward, placing his hand on the handle part of his sword. "Me and Mr. Ko have, but the four right behind me are and pretty much armed themselves. We are here to escort this caravan merchant to the Old Mormon Fort within Freeside. May I ask for the gate to be open?"

One of the trio dropped its cigarette to the ground and walked to the gate. "Better keep yourselves together, this place is not a safe haven for those who wish to stay alive." The dark skinned guy yanked the rusty chain down to have the metal doors rise up, revealing a different area with a few people in raggedy clothes sitting against a torn down building, barrels with fire in different spots, and a couple of kids chasing after some huge, gray creature all over the cracked streets.

"Hmm, never imagine Freeside being more of a garbage dump." Veronica commented. "Even the smell wreaks higher than a 100-year old Brahmin manure." She covered her nose with part of her hood's cloth. "So, where's this fort you are talking about, Herbal Quack?"

"It's not that far." Terence replied, moving the reigns a few times to get Timbuk going. We all followed the slow moving caravan carriage through the open gateway, looking around at the depressing-feeling area around us. "Freeside is much like a poor man's sanctuary with barely any rules to follow. Thugs kill to find food or money, people using chems to 'fix' themselves into high addiction, it's a worst kind of place to visit or live in."

"Heard o' somethin' like this before." Eric commented, scanning the area after hearing the metal doors shut down. "Not a purty sight t' see from one wastelander describin' this place."

I noticed one of the settler sitting against a building inhaling something from from a small metal piece with a red, ovalish tube sticking up on the top. _I wonder what kind if thing he is using? _I questioned myself in my mind, stopped due to seeing the carriage come to a halt in the corner of my left eye. I shift my gave to what appears to be some huge, old style building with wooden doors on one side. And right beside it is the sign called "Old Mormon Fort". No wonder why Terence took the farthest gate of Freeside, because it leads to the closest path to his destination.

"Strange how just four years ago. I use to visit here to help my battalion's wounds heal." Craig noted. "Shit, I still can't believe this place hasn't crumble down to rubble since then." He walked forward to meet with Terence at the wooden gate until some guy with a wooden weapon ran up and try to hit him on the head. "What the fuck!?" Luckily for Craig, he swiftly stopped the thug's weapon with his good arm.

"They're swarming!" Azrael yelled, bringing his katana out of his scabbard. "About five coming behind you, Brotherhood Veronica and Courier Crimson!" He warned. "I'll escort Mr. Ko inside the fort and request help. This will take a minute." He, along with Terence, pulled Timbuk and carriage quickly as Azrael tried his hardest to open the door to avoid the caravan merchant and carriage to get damaged.

"On it!" Veronica cracked her knuckles, activating her Power Fist as one of the thug's cone charging at Veronica with a bat. "Sheesh, I was expecting a challenge, not a poor excuse of an opponent." With one punch from her hand without the Power Fist, she strikes the thug with one blow to the face. "Takes care of that, I think." After the thug fell, Veronica turned to me with her eyebrows raised in a flash. "I would watch my back if I were you."

I quickly took out my hunting knife, doubt that the thugs would put up much of a fight with just melee weapons, and spun around to block one of the thug's lead pipe from striking at me. "Damn it, looks like he is spun out of his mind!" I eyed the thug's eyes, seeing how his eyes have red irises and his breathing quickened.

"Damn it, rascals!" Eric yelled from behind me. The endless marathon of grunts are telling me Eric is struggling with one of the thug's. "Ey, Recon. Protect my hide from 'em ankle biters behind me!"

"Shut up, poor excuse of a teammate!" Craig yelled, appearing in front of me to shove the struggling thug away from me. Thus, decapitating him with his machete. "Shit, even the Legion pull more of a fight than-" when he turned to my direction, his eyes widen in horror. "WATCH OUT!" he ran and shoved me to the side, followed by an agonizing yell coming from him.

"Craig!" I turned to investigate the cause of the yell, only to see part if his face being cut by the thug's switchblade.

"Say goodbye, asshole!" The thug raised his arm up with the blade pointing down at Craig, but his while existence vanished into a puddle of glowing, green goo beside Craig.

I flinched and cringed from the horrific scene. "Where did that came from!?" I spike, looking to the right to see how the others are doing. I spotted three more glob puddles beside Veronica and Eric who are also disgusted by the unknown substance. But something unfamiliar through the wooden door caught my attention.

A tall, blonde hair, white skinned guy with some long, white doctors coat came walking with some weapon he holster on the side pouch. "Whew, I'm surprised I made it on time. Sorry for my delayed introduction, but it's best if we bring your friend inside to have that wound treated." He formed a simple smile.

Well, guess the trip to New Vegas will have to hold for a while...I hope. Bur something about that doctor made me a little uneasy for some reason.


	42. Chapter 41 - Assistance From a Follower

_**-(Quest Break)-**_

"Seriously, I don't understand why it's always you who gets to be protected by Hulk." Veronica sulked on the chair with her arms crossed. "I wish I can have that kind of attention towards someone like you. Someone brave, strong and-"

"Veronica, can we just drop it." I groaned as I paced back and forth in front of one of the tents Craig is in to get his cut treated by one of the Followers of the Apocalypse, a faction of pacifists and ideologists who welcomes and aids to those in need around the wasteland. After a little 'welcoming' party from the Freeside thugs just as we got to the wooden gates of the fort, the doctor with the black framed glasses happened to save our lives with his unusual gun that makes anybody turn into green, glowing ooze. But I wonder where that guy is?

The female doctor with a dark brown Mohawk exited out of the tent just after 25 minutes of treating the scar on Craig in there. "Terribly sorry for the wait, your friend is still in good condition. The cut was just only minor, thus missing one of the main arteries by 1.753 centimeters away from the eye. If you wish to see your friend, he's waiting on the chair next to the bunk bed." She stood aside to let us go through the tent flaps.

I looked at Veronica and Eric beside me, scratching the back of their heads. "Well, I know how Hulk is to everyone. I'm afraid he'll start shooting if any one of us tries to barge into his personal space." She turned to Eric. "Any ideas?"

"Think ol' Crims should go." Eric spoke, slapping my back hard that made me leaned my upper body forward. "Recon trusts nothin' but courier here." He grabbed both of my shoulders and shoved me forward through the tent flaps, making me land face first on the ground. "Say howdy t' Recon fer me!" He yelled from the other aide of the tent's closed entrance.

I raised my head up, glancing at Craig sitting on a chair next to a bunk bed with his icy look in his eyes at me, as usual. "Eric said hi..." Apparently the enthusiasm in my voice was pretty much bland as the wasteland.

"I rather not greet him back, that scumbag..." I heard Craig growled under his throat while I lift up off the ground with both my arms. I also felt a cold, pair of hands grabbing the upper part of my arms, which in fact they happened to be Craig's since he's always the one grabbing my arms in a firm grip since our supposed companionship back at the REPCONN Test Site. "You okay?" He asked softly, now standing straight about a foot from the sniper.

I let off a deep sigh with barely ant enthusiasm shown. "I'm fine, Craig. Just hate how I has to be me when it comes to you. And Eric assuming that you don't trust no one but-"

"Drop it..." Craig barked, dropping his hands down from my arms. "I trust no one, not even a tiniest iota of trust will ever seep out of me for as long as I am alive." He dropped himself down onto the chair with his arms crossed, like he built a defensive shield on him. His green irises, though, haven't broke it's lock on me, which confuses to the point if my heart rapidly beating in my chest cavity. "But..." He spoke, but didn't talk no further than that.

I wish I can ask what he is trying to say, but I kept looking at the small, one-inch scar on the side of his face all stitched together. "I hope none of the doctors hurt you while they were fixing up your cut."

"You think this damn scar on my face will bring me down!?" He hissed, leaning forward and pointed his scar with his forefinger. "It'll take more than just a fucking flesh wound to bring this sniper down to his grave! Even if it's just a dislocated shoulder from Vault 3, nothing will stop me nor keep me sitting with my thumb up my ass." And there goes his Royal Bitterness, barking up with no bite.

"Okay, okay. Sorry I said anything..." I spat, crossing my arms. "Seems like you don't fucking want any company to enter here to see if you're all right."

Craig stared directly as his face soften a bit. "Just you is enough..." He got off of the chair again and walked to to me, standing inches with his icy glare locked with mine. But what got me is the words he uttered that made me froze in place. "Anybody else in our group will only agitate me to the core. But...why you all of a sudden..."

Even I couldn't answer his unsolved question. I moved my eyes over to his scar and placed my fingers beside it. Hell, I'm surprised Craig hasn't flinched nor even resist one bit of my touch. All he did is move his hand and gently grabbed mine, making my hand lie flat on the side of his face. "Craig..." My breathing quickened, my body quivered and heat intensifying in me from how close I am to him.

"Don't...don't tell anyone about this..." Craig softly whispered, our gaze completely glued and stuck in one place. "But, everytime I am alone with you I ha-"

"So, how's the patient do-" we stopped to look at the glasses wearing doctor barging in without prior warning, staring in stymie before his lips curled to a small grin. "Well, am I interrupting your little passionate moment?"

"What!?" I yelled, shoving Craig away from me with my face blazing from the intense heat. "W-W-We are not! I was just checking up before I leave him alone!" I had to figure out something to say to deny what he just saw seconds ago, hoping he'll buy it.

"Oh, bullshit, Crimson!" Craig yelled back at my ear. "Your mouth comes out nothing but fucking garbage and lies! And next time you decided to shove me away without warning me, I'll do the same to you to know how I felt!"

The tall doctor walked near us with his arms up, stopping to glare at him. "Hey, no need to argue over a little, touchy moment." Because of that it made more heat formed on my face. "If you needed some alone time, I can just put up a 'Do Not Enter' sign on the tent so you two can kiss and make up."

Me and Craig eyed each other, his face flushed with deep redness from anger, probably. After that little lock, we quickly broke it and turn our heads to two different directions. "Kiss her!? You're fucking mistaken." Craig growled. "Her breath stinks, she's unattractive, and she has the intelligence of a gecko!"

"And he's just as fucking stubborn and thick-skinned as a Brahmin bull." I growled back. "I doubt we ever have a connection other than being traveling companions."

I peeked to the side, seeing the doctor having one of his brows raised. "Well, if you say that," he wrapped his right arm around Craig's shoulder. "If you have the time, I can escort her out if the tent so the two of us can chat in private. How about that?" His eyes shift towards my direction, giving me a cringing and uncomfortable feeling in my spine.

"I'll escort myself out!" I yelled, stomping my way out of the tent with my hands shaking as I curled my fingers in to form two, irritated fists. "Fucking bastard!" I said under my heavy breathing, ignoring both Eric and Veronica as I pass by them.

* * *

_-Craig-_

Why is it everytime me and Crimson end up being alone in the most ridiculous situations turn out for the worse since this fucking poor excuse of a doctor barged in without at least letting us know he is coming in. Not only that, is if my whole wellbeing shut down and my body went into autopilot just as I was a mere face-length from...damn I don't want to even think about that. "Shit..." I whispered to myself.

"What's wrong?" The blonde hair four eyes pulled my hear to his direction with his free hand. Something about this guy makes me want to hurl. "Seems like she is jealous because I know how to get close to a guy without denying it."

"Fuck off, creep!" I shoved in off of me and ran out of the tent, seeing Crimson talking to the Mohawk doctor with the merchant and his bodyguard. From what I am hearing, they are discussing about the crate of Stimpaks being delivered and from the Followers of the Apocalypse their thanks for their donations and delivery.

"Hey, Hulk!" I saw the Brotherhood woman walking up to me with her usual carefree demeanor. "I noticed Crimson storming out of the tent just a minute ago. Did you two get into a fight again? I only heard silence for a moment before four eyes barged in. Were you and Cr-

I presented a detested glare at Brotherhood, shutting her up in an instant. Just as the doctor, merchant and bodyguard walked to a different direction, Crimson was only left standing, looking down at something from her raised left hand. "Well, guess it's time we head onward to New Vegas." Crimson said when she turned to my direction with Brotherhood and scumbag.

"Shouldn't you guys prepare first before you try yo head onwards through this slum infested area without knowing what to expect?" I heard the four eyes doctor appearing out of the tent from behind me, walking over to Crimson. I just hope he doesn't try any more fucking stunts, or I'll implant a bullet from my rifle right in between his eyes.

* * *

"If you have never been in this area before, I suggest some advice along the way." The tall doctor with his arms behind his back spoke as he come walking towards me. Just each time he gets close to me, it feels like something is crawling on my spine for some reason. "I'm assuming you're the famous courier who has been helping out the people of NCR since your recovery from unconsciousness, as what the guy on the radio had said.

I stood still, yet my body tenses up defensively now that he I standing just about a yard from me. "What's it to you, and how is that any of your business to begin with?" I can't quite understand how he figure out that I am the talked-about courier just by one look of me.

"The scar on your left lateral is a very convincing evidence." He said, pushing his glasses up. "Your left side of your head to be clear with you and your amnesiac condition one of your cohorts mentioned to me. Clearly I am astonished how such a condition like that for you this far in the wasteland, and survived."

Eric appeared right beside the doctor. "Yes siree! Ol' Crims 'ere sure 'as a strong spirit o' th' wastes!" He gave a boastful chuckle. "Gotta give 'er credit fer survivin' this long."

Craig came up to me with his usual cold glare on his eyes. "I don't see how this is highly relevant to our objective in mind," he turned to the doctor. "doc. Especially how you pulled up that stunt in the tent proves that you couldn't be trustworthy."

"Well, for my little charade, I have to apologize for that little foreplay." The doctor looks like he is apologizing, but I don't buy it that much. "Allow me to give myself an introduction. Arcade Gannon is my name, and I am more of a researcher than a medical doctor. Erm..." He scratched the back of his head. "I'm pretty much not good with people to be honest."

I glumly looked at him. "Obviously you don't seem like that a moment ago with Craig." Just that little image of that Arcade guy with his arm on Craig really made me ticked, for a reason I can't decipher. "Are you sure you're not bluffing?"

Arcade shrugged. "I figure I would try something new with all you newcomers here, and maybe experience some human contact with someone." I heard a little chuckle echoed off his neck.

"Human contact..." Craig spit out the name in disgust. "All I was trying to is have Crimson see the scar from up close until you assumed we are having a passionate moment." I can tell Craig is lying just to hide what was going on, I'll give him credit later. "And what makes you so sure you can assist us?"

Arcade pushed his glasses right back up. "Well, in my nature I am highly enthusiastic about helping people, but nihil novi sub sole."

"Wait, isn't that Latin? Veronica noted, walking right next to Arcade. "I remember the Legion speaking in that language once. Have you got it from them?"

"Or maybe he is one of them." Craig raised his arm up to bring his rifle out. "Give me a reason why I shouldn't shoot you point blank on the bridge of your nose." He rest his hand clenched on his weapon if he becomes to provoked by whatever answer Arcade says.

Arcade sighed and raised a hand up. "The infamous NCR 1st Recon with a revenge for the Legion, I see. I, for one, loathed the Legion as well. I do speak fluent Latin, but not from the Legion. I read insurmountable amounts of books containing Latin, literature, the human body, and medical procedures of any art from before the days of Nuclear Annihilation." He lowered his hand down. "Not only that, spread sheets and Gladiator holotapes. I'm quite fond of them."

"In other words, you're a bookworm like me, except in a different form of bookworm." Veronica giggled. "But what you said in Latin, what does it mean?"

"Oh, pardon me." Arcade chuckled. "It means 'Nothing new under the sun', one of my favorite quotes I say to any passerby around here. But, me..." He let out a deep sigh. "I just mostly keep to myself...outta sight outta mind, I suppose." He divert his attention to me. "By how far you've come here, I hear you are on your way to New Vegas to confront The Tops chairman for revenge right?"

I flinched, eyes as wide as a geckos. "Wait, how did you know?"

"The chairman himself," Arcade began. "decided to waltz over here as a so called sanctuary" he air quoted the word. "away from the heinous, chem-strung thugs of Freeside, and complaining about a two centimeter, insignificant cut on his hand. Damn pompous pansy wishes to have it healed up before he went back to his place with the Platinum Chip in his upper tux pocket that stuck out like a sore thumb." He pushed his glasses up. "Well, I can't understand why Julie has to help out that no good piece of fecal matter after how he has been treating us."

I crossed my arms with my brows pushed down. "As if that's the first time he did that to someone." I gave him a serious glare while maintaining my posture. "More importantly, that's the chip I am trying to retrieve after he stole it from me back in Goodsprings." I explained. "But the reason to my delivery is still completely blank in my mind. Fuck, I can't remember my past before Doc Mitchell patched me up."

Eric snapped his fingers, and I think that tells me he has something on his mind. "Ey, that's what we need, a doc fer first aid purposes. With yer help, doc" he placed a hand on Arcade's right shoulder. "wounds, broken bones an' cut will be nothin' like a thick skinned DeathClaw! An' with yer charisma like I 'ave, ladies'll come crawlin' fer help."

"Charmed..." Arcade glared at Eric as he shoved his hand off of shoulder. "but I don't take the liberty of gaining fame for ladies because of my practices and knowledge. Unless..." He shift his eyes at my and Craig's direction. "maybe I can offer a deal on all of you." He grinned.

"Whatever it is, it better be good." Craig spoke, seeing his muscle tone arms tense up with veins popping up.

Arcade release a small chuckle, walking over to Craig and myself with his arms behind his back. "Yes, I do hold enough knowledge to mend, stitch, and treat wounds and all if necessary, and I to have a great hatred on the Legion and it's leader Caesar." He stopped just a good yard length from us, Veronica and Eric ran to join in on the deal. "I want to see your worth." He eyed me.

"Worth?" I raised an eyebrow. "Can you explain?"

"I want to see how the celebrity and survivor of the wastes does her work with people." Arcade began explaining. "I will come along with all of you on your little tour across the Mojave as a spectator. If I have seen something that proves you to be very worthy of my assistance, I'll accompany you all as a permanent companion." He raised a hand forward towards me with his palm open. "How about that?"

Craig shift himself in front of me as a shield. "What makes you so sure you can be our shadow and follow us? Are you sure you wont pull something out of that doctor's coat of yours?"

With that same hand, he pushed his glasses up though he kept an ominous grin on his face. "I can also help out on how we can cooperate and develop more on our companion's relationship with advice and step -by-step procedures. Let's just say I am called the Love Doctor, even though I want to try out my knowledge from countless relationship books for the first time."

"Please..." Craig groaned. "I doubt there will ever be some kind of relationship between Crimson and I. Nor there will ever be one in a lifetime."

"I believe you misread my explanation." Arcade shook his head. "I didn't specifically said about whom I am going to assist with my knowledge. I will sit down with each individual and listen to their way of bonding and how to work with a relationship. And that's where I come in to help assess their problems and shift it to a more profound way of handling a bond with a friend or someone you want to express your feelings to."

"Actually," Veronica said. "I think that sounds like a good idea for him to accompany us the way I hear it." We all shot a dumfound look at her. "What, I have problems with the relationship I have right now. Maybe four-eyes here can lens me some advice on what I should do about it. Maybe help you out with your whore hopping problems, pirate hunter."

All Eric did was groan, pressing the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "I am dandy if ya seem t' ask V. An' I 'ave no she-Brahmin hoppin' problem as well. An' above all, I am not a pirate since I got an eye patch an' a new leg."

"What's a pirate?" I asked, in which no one paid no attention to. Hearing both Veronica and Eric arguing, sewing Craig making himself a human shield in front of Arcade, and I am over here not doing a damn thing about the situation. Well, now or never I suppose. "Alright," I spoke up out loud to have everyone's attention towards me. "I let you come with us Arcade. If we are ever going to make this companionship work, we might as well show each other's worth." I held my hand out to beside Craig towards Arcade for a shake.

Arcade, without a hint of hesitation, kindly grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly. I even felt a few of my finger bones pop from that. "Much obliged...Crimson, is it? But I am warning you, I don't take lightly in those who dare support the Legion in any way. So, if there were any way of you betraying us to side with those Romans, I won't blink an eye and leave out of this group."

"You won't have to." Craig grabbed my wrist and yanked it away from Arcade's grip. "We've had a little encounter with those pansy ass Legion at Nelson last night. Crimson is as good as she'll ever be, and I know for a fact that she won't betray us and still side with the NCR, guiding them to victory at the Hoover Dam." He dropped my hand down, keeping himself firm between me and Arcade.

Arcade's smile faded. "Side with the NCR, hmm?" He said, moving his eyes towards me. "They are nothing but controlling dictators of the wasteland. Getting what they want, when they want, and how they want it. If you have been in my shoes when I saw those soldiers take down many people where I lived, even my father, you'll see their true nature."

"What do you mean?" I asked, peeking through the aide of Craig even though the sniper held his arm up to keep me from walking forward. "What happened at that time?"

Arcade's expression turn solemn. "I rather not talk about it."

Veronica wrapped her arms around Arcade's left arm. "Aww, don't be so glum, chum!" She gave off a cheerful giggle. "Hey, how about you use your knowledge to help out with my problems about this certain somebody in my mind." She yanked him back as she ran over to the vacant tent where Craig was recovering from his little wound.

"I'll find the merchant 'round here t' figure out when we'll be outta 'ere t' skedaddle on t' the big lights." Eric spoke, walking away from us in search of Terence and Azrael.

I wish I knew what to do now beside running my way to New Vegas and confront Benny at The Tops, but I am stuck at a standstill with Craig's back against me. "We better maintain ourselves around that doctor, Crimson." Craig spoke, turning around to face me. "Whatever he has planned to do while he is traveling with us, I just hope that he won't stab us in the back during that time. And whatever it takes, I'll have his head in my scope's sights if he dares try to hurt anybody. Or worse..." He turned his head away from me with a painful look in his eyes.

"Say no more, Craig. I've already got the whole subject in mind." I replied, having him look back at me. "But, what Eric has told me before he shoved mw through the tent about you trusting no one but me. I bet that is a way for him to say 'You go on and handle him yourself, I'm afraid to get shot by 1st Recon'."

Craig slowly chuckled, his face relaxed and his smile so small. "Damn right I'll fucking shoot him. That scumbag doesn't deserve to be anywhere near my boundaries after what he did to you while I was gone for a while." He chuckled for a good minute before the little grin disappeared off his face. "You know I told you that I have a hard time trusting people if they are two-faced with an objective. But you, you're the first one since Carla whom I have opened up a little about my problems from the past."

_Here we go again with Carla... _It's if a huge dagger has thrust right through my chest just by Craig reminding me about his dead wife. But why am I feeling this intense pain in the middle of my torso over some subject about a married man's deceased spouse? Maybe I can ask Arcade's help on that subject when the time comes.

"If you can just sign here, Mr. Ko?" Juile Farkas, along with Terence, Azrael, and Eric, came walking towards us as they are holding some kind of board with paper over the top. "Thank you so much for the delivery. Mist of the patients here will be in top shape before they venture out into the streets and beyond the wasteland. If there are any donations you wish to give to us, it'll help the Followers in the long run."

"It is our pleasure, Ms. Julie." Terence bowed to her after returning the board with papers to the Mohawk Follower member. "I believe me and my new traveling friends at on a schedule to escort the courier, Ms. Crimson, to New Vegas right away. I must apologize for my inappropriate ways of rushing."

Julie formed a gently grin while holding onto the board. "It's not a problem. I understand your generous and helpful nature towards others in need. I'll let you leave your Brahmin here is you ever need to venture out of Freeside, just give me a word of notice."

Azrael nod his head, keeping his guard near Terence. "And we shall if such a time were to come. We best be leaving, ma'am." He, with Terence and Eric, turned to us. "Shall we be proceeding to New Vegas, courier?"

"So..." I heard Veronica exiting out of the tent with Arcade keeping his pace right beside her to us. "If I were to express my emotions to her when I see her again, will she be able to accept it?"

Arcade curled one side of his lips up, using his middle finger to push the bridge of his glasses up. "If she is willing to accept your feelings to her, I think the both of you will have a wondrous bond with each other. But, make sure you don't push her too hard. That is what leads to a more conflicted path, or worse, a bitter break-up."

"If you got time to consult with anybody's problems, why don't we make time into escorting Crimson to New Vegas." Craig shout, having everyone surrounding us in one group.

"Ah, another traveling companion, I presume?" Terence smiled once he saw Arcade joining the group. "Terence Ko, if I haven't introduced myself. And here is my personal caravan guard, Azrael." Azrael waved his hand when his name was called.

Arcade only glared at the merchant blankly. "I'm only with them to observe if they are worth my time helping them along the way with my medical expertise." Pushing his glasses, he made his way towards the huge door to Freeside. "Might as well start observing."

_Good, not a moment to waste! _I cheerfully thought in my mind. We followed the doctor over the slightly opened doorway made by Arcade to the streets of Freeside. Now that all of us are out with the door shut behind us, we scanned the area for any idea on where to go. "Man, how are we ever going to reach New Vegas in this maze?"

"I can help." I notices some guy with huge metal armor and some thick facial hair come walking towards us. "I heard you were saying about going to New Vegas right? I happen to know the route on how to get to The Strip gates. If you need to get across Freeside, no one will keep you safer that I will.

"Umm, not t' burst int' yer lil' catwalk, pardner." Eric step up right beside me. "J'st who're ya?"

The stranger smile and dusted off a few sand patches off of his armor. "Names Orris. I'm the top notch bodyguard you can ever find here in Freeside. Unlike the other losers near the east gate, they would just Sta you and rob you of all your caps and gear just before you get to say hello. But, if you have me, I will take you all on a tour through Freeside onwards to the gates towards The Strip." He lay his palm up directly at us. "With a small price of 200 caps."

"200!?" I yelled, making a few people in the group flinch. "I don't know if I have that kind of caps on me!"

"Only those who wish to make it big in the big lights can acquire a bodyguard like I am." Orris explain. "If you don't have that amount of caps on your person, I advise you to hire the low-class guards instead."

I dug into my coat pocket to grab what amount of caps I have in my small bag, until I felt my hand poke out and touched my thigh. "Wha-!?" I gasped, digging into my other pocket. "Fuck! My caps are gone!" I yelled.

"I grabbed them when they fell off of your coat, Crimson." Craig spoke, tossing the small bag of caps to Orris before giving a slightly bigger sized bag of caps to me. "Take us to New Vegas right away. We're wasting time here."

Orris placed the bag of caps in his pouch behind his hip. "Then time will never be wasted if we make a brisk pace there. But if I see any one of you deciding to veer away and sightseeing elsewhere, my services won't be needed for the rest of the tour. Now follow me." He began running at a fast pace.

"Kind of strange how a guy like him can run so quickly under that heavy hunk of metal." Veronica murmured at my ear. "Should we observe him?"

"Best be, Veronica." I replied, making our way to catch up to Orris. We kept a good distance near Orris just before we got to a blue door. Orris, without struggle, divert the doors apart to another opened area.

"It's this way." Orris averted our attention to. He went through first, followed by all of us one by one through the opening. "Mind yourself of the building in front of you where these group of people called The Kings reside within. Not a very welcoming band of gang members to make friends with." We followed him through the rugged street passed the building with some lights in a shape of a person and another shape with 'The Kings' words above the double doors.

I looked to the right and noticed a couple of signs far off in the alleyway. "Silver Rush and The Atomic Wrangler? What are those places?"

Orris gave off a chuckle while he walked. "The Atomic Wrangler, a place where anybody wishes to spend less caps on gambling and can have a good ol' time drinking, comedy, and end the day with some 'happy time' at night. The Silver Rish I don't know much of except that the owners sell distinctive items such as the red head's and the doctor's weapons."

"Energy weapons to be precise." Veronica clarified.

"Fascinating items and yet very expensive to obtain." Terence added. "On a sad note, I doubt I'll be able to obtain such a marvelous piece of weaponry in my hands one day. Ah, a pipe dream to grasp."

We kept walking past the stacks of charred metal on the road behind Orris until I looked up to see the tower hovering above everything near the gates that says 'Welcome to the Strip'. "There it is!" I murmured. As we got even closer, I noticed just about six to eight of those familiar looking robot guarding the gate in every direction.

"What're those things guardin' th' gate out yonder?" Eric asked.

"Those are Securitrons." Orris replied. "The enigmatic de facto of New Vegas lives in that big tower over there called The Lucky 38, and all of his robot police keep guard of the gates and the streets on the other side of there. Mr. House is always keeps a high guard around everything going on there, but The Lucky 38 hasn't had any human visitors in probably over 200 years since it's been standing from what I've heard."

_Mr. House? The Lucky 38? _I thought to myself. Just as I plant my right forward, my head began to throb again. This time, the pain was so intense, I dropped down to my knees and clenched the sides of my hair. "AURGH!" I yelled on agony, my eyes shutting tightly from the massive pain pulsing in my brain.

"Crimson!" I heard Craig's faint voice echoing in my mind, but all I heard after that was silence. I reopened my eyes, standing in front of an unfinished Securitron being held up on some wires and chains. Many slabs of metal, nails and bolts, even black puddles were surrounding it and me.

"Huh?" I spoke, twitching a bit until I felt something cold in the palm of my hand. I raised my right hand to see some shiny, silver tool that reads '5/8' on the right second of it. "Something about this whole scene doesn't seem right at all, not one bit." I said with my brows pushed together. Perplexing as this setting may seem, but there might be one possible reason as to why this showed up in my memory: Could this unfinished Securitron right in front of me signifies a little hint about my past?


	43. Chapter 42 - Escorts, Caps, and Regrets

_**-Wang Dang Atomic Tango Pt. 1-**_

_"Crimson!"_ A voice calling for me? I wish I can tell who it is from all this pitch black nothingness around me. All I can remember the last time I got closer to the gates of New Vegas was standing in front of a broken down, unfinished Securitron that assumingly I built because of a metal tool somehow appeared in my hand. But, how can it be me when I can't even build worth of shit in the wasteland? My best bet is that it might be a little clue to whatever I did in the past that involves the hunk-of-metal guards.

I slowly opened my eyes to see all of my companions circling and eyeing me. But, also, feeling the rugged and cracked toad against my back. I assumed that I have fallen down while I was unconscious yet again. "Hey guys." I murmured.

Arcade took out some kind of device with the light and waved it over my eye, blinding mw in an instant. "She appears to be fine, her pupils dilate normally, respiration is normal, heart beat normal." He pushed his glasses up through his nose. "Though I can't understand how she end up fainting like that after a severe headache."

"She couldn't remember her past before she got shot." Craig explained for me, slowly bringing me up to a sitting position. "Each time she cringes in agony, she remembers parts of her memory, though not in the same order. I had dealt with her episodes many time from Novac until now." I can tell by the sniper's voice that he seemed really worried about me.

"Gon' dang it!" Eric yelled as he walked back to us, seemed to have interacted with one of the Securitrons near the New Vegas gate. "Can't bypass 'em tin man guards. Need at least a 2,000 cap t' mosey on there 'r a passport."

"Well, there goes your chance of striking it rich there, Crimson." Veronica shrugged. "What are we going to do now? We barely have the combined amount of caps to gain entry through those guards without getting shot at."

I released a deep sigh in defeat. Just when the moment of confronting Benny has yet been backfired on me because of the Securitrons near the gate. "Maybe there is a place where you can work for to gain the caps for entry." We all turned to see a well dressed, white tuxedo wearing male with a suave facial features come walking towards us with his ha ds behind his back. "You people seem to be new here to Freeside, I can give you a little hand if you need it."

I raised an eyebrow at the stranger. "And who might you be?" I carefully pushed myself up to my feet, with a little assistance from Craig and Veronica.

The stranger crossed his arms. "The name's Old Ben. I've been living in Freeside since the day I was born." He sure doesn't look like the kind of guy to be living in this area, judging by his attire. "Well, I may not look like it, though I have done a bit if everything around here - courier, butcher, crier, escort, gin for hire...some of which I am not proud of, but I do my best to help around town when needed."

"Wait, courier!?" I stepped forward, surprised. "I am a courier as well! Well, I think I still am until I got shot in the head several nights ago."

Old Ben gave off a friendly chuckle. "Exactly one of the reasons I got out of that job. Too many shifty characters looking to have someone else move their hot items."

"'eard 'bout ya bein' a butcher." Eric spoke next, scratching the back of his neck. "'ow did ya git int' that?"

"My father ran a butcher shop here in town," Ben answered. "but business went downhill when another vendor started selling this strange meat at half our prices. Not long after my father's shop went under and he passed away from the loss, people around town started experiencing shakes."

"That's odd..." Veronica became a bit baffled by the tone of her high pitch voice.

Ben just shook his head and exhaled. "You're telling me. No one gets shakes like that unless they're eating human flesh, but no one believed me. The sick bastard gradually went insane and passed away from it. Though, it wasn't long before someone moved into the guy's place and found half-buried human remains in the crawl space. I didn't bother to say I told you so."

"And what sort of a job is a crier?" Azrael questioned while maintaining his guard near Terence.

Ben's grin returned. "After a while I made enough money to get a passport into Vegas. Back then you could get approve for entry for a fraction of what it costs now..." He looked up into the blue sky. "I say about 350 caps was the minimum requirements to gain acceptance into the big lights."

"Irrelevant to the question, sir." Azrael pointed out, clicking his sword up slightly.

Ben held up his arm to make sure nothing of any cnflict will be inbolved. "My apologies. Seems like I got a little side-tracked for a mpment there. Well, I got a job working as a crier outside of The Tops, advertising for the local talent performing in the casino. That didn't last long."

"That's the place where I have to see the chairman at." I clarified in a serious tone. "But anyways, what happened?"

"Well..." Ben began scratching the side of his neck. "being a suave guy, I chatted up the ladies from time to time, and one of the manager's girls started to take a liking to me. I never touched the woman, but the jealous prick decided it was my time to go. He framed me by saying I'd stolen from the casino. And, sure enough, a few grand was missing from the casino vault. I have to assume the bastard stole the funds and figured I was a convenient fall guy."

I couldn't help but felt very remorseful from how he was treated wrongly by the people of The Tops. Benny deserves to be taught a lesson with my fist on his face. "Damn, that's horrible. I wish I would've done something if I were in your place."

"Yeah, but what can you do?" Ben continued. "I was stripped of my casino apartment and all my belongings and booted back here in Freeside. From there I didn't have a lot of career options, as my rep was destroyed. So, the escort job sort of fell into my lap...no pun intended."

"Escort...as in am armed guars like that metal armored guy Orris that was taking us to here?" I asked. "Speaking if which, where did Orris went?"

"Bastard didn't want to be involved with your little stunt minutes ago." Craig replied, in his usual serious tone. "Says that helping anybody with any medical conditions is not part of his job description. So, he just up and split before you woke up."

_So much for a tour escort and bodyguard that guy is. _I shook my head before looking back at Ben. "I hope you aren't like those bodyguards that Orris guy is, huh?"

Ben slowly shook his head from side to side. "Well, I suppose you can look at it that way." I can see his face turning a couple of shade redder that before. "But I was packing a whole different kind of heat. In other words, no, escort just sounds better than a man-whore."

"Well well, then..." Veronica giggled. "Seems like we have been looking at this kind of book the wrong way, am I right, Crimson?" Ahe nudged her elbow against my right arm, making my face flush with embarrassment. "So, you get paid for sex?" She asked straightforward to Ben.

"Say, what!?" I flipped out immediately. Everyone, except for me and Craig, began laughing from my little flabbergasted dance number. I swear, I am making a complete fool of myself for doing that.

Eric walked to the middle of me and Craig, placing both of his hands on our shoulders. "Ey, no need t' flip out 'bout some happy time, normal in m' books. Hell, prob'ly 'ave Recon here git int' th' businesses."

Craig growled, grabbing Eric's collar tightly in his hand near his face. "You got a fucking death wish to write, scumbag!?" He yelled, seeing a vein pop up from his left temple. "I swear, I'll tear off that prosthetic leg and burn it in that fire inhabited barrel nearby!"

"Light'n up, Recon!" Eric yelled back, trying to yank himself away from the cold brute's grasp. "J'st want ya t' 'ave some fun while 'e're o'er here. Prob'ly bring ol' Crims t' a room and show a good buckin' fer free." After that comment, his face got punched pretty hard by Craig's fist, having him tumble down to the road below our feet.

"If you guys are done with your little moment of fun, I'll be at The Atomic Wrangler drink a few beers!" He began stomping his way forward briskly. "Don't try to get near me within five feet of my boundaries once you find me." Without saying another word or make eye contact to anybody else, he proceeded onwards to the place Orris mentioned to us during the tour a while ago.

Ben cleared his throat loudly, only catching my attention. "Sorry if I intrude at the wrong time. But, what's up with your friend?" He jabbed his thumb back at Craig.

"It's a long story..." I sighed. "He pretty much don't like fun and games, and has been through a bunch of struggles throughout his time in the military. I rather not discuss it or otherwise I have a bullet in between my eyes."

Ben nodded. "Understandable." He cleared his throat for a second. "I can tell just looking at his eyes that he really does mean business, serious business if you as me. And about that escorting career, I didn't have any other career opportunities open to me at the time and had to make ends meet. I took it, and was doing a damn good job at it fulfilling their needs. But after a while, I felt like a piece of meat and decided to quit."

"Gun for hire?" Arcade spoke up, pushing his glasses back to where they are suppose to be at.

"When I quit the escort job, I had enough money to buy a pistol belt and some other gear." Ben answered, bringing his arms behind his back again. "Bodyguards make a good honest living, and I had the wits and physical build to handle most thugs. After saving a few tourists from trouble, I got a reputation for being a stand-up guy again, and after a decade managed to save up enough to retire." A relaxing sound along with an exhale echoed out of him. "Now, I just sit back and roam around Freeside until it is time to leave the wasteland for good."

I got to hand it Ben for a moment. He doesn't seem to have any ounce of complaints in him after his long run of jobs he has been doing through his life. I envy that, despite not remembering anything prior to being shot in the head. "Hey, Ben. Do you think there is anyway to get fast caps around this area? You know, saving up to go through the gates?"

"Well, either the Silver Rush of The Atomic Wrangler," Ben suggested. "My best bet, no pun intended, would be staying at The Atomic Wrangler motel and casino. I bet with a little extra cap jobs they offer, I'm sure you'll save up enough caps to get into New Vegas."

"Alright, thanks for the tip, Ben." I formed a pleasing grin.

Ben just laughed. "I don't know why you need a tip, you're not an escort like I was." I kind of guess Ben was only joking, so I have to laugh along to the little pun. "Well, if you need anything, I'll be sitting in that big area to your left and living life one day at a time." He gave all of us a wave before he walked passed us to the open area to the left.

"Guess we will have to go to that casino for work." Arcade spoke when he appeared in front of me. "Maybe I can check up on your lover over there, and hope he doesn't become too drunk with so many alcoholic beverages." A chuckle seemed to have escaped his neck.

I think another heat wave has formed around my face. "C-Craig is not my lover, Arcade." Seriously, why would Arcade say that!?

"Well, whether he is or not," Arcade began walking with one arm behind his back and the other pushing his glasses. "we need to keep a watchful eye on our companions through and through. You might never know when one inebriated time bomb would tick-tock into detonation."

"I have to agree with four-eyes. A lot of intoxicated individuals do have quite a temper if their buttons get pushed too hard." Veronica explained. "If I were you, I rather keep a distance from Hulk if he ends up drawing his gun up at out heads and make us into moving targets."

Much as I hate to hear the warning, but it seems I have to heed to it for the time being. We all quietly followed Arcade away from The Strip gates to make our way to The Atomic Wrangler Craig is at. But...something within me is really bugging the fuck out of me. So, I sprint my was to meet up with Arcade. "Arcade, can you help me out with something?"

Arcade looked down at me. Damn, I feel so insignificant when I am beside him. "If I seem to have time with your quarrelsome situations, I figure I may."

_Whatever that means..._I thought to myself before taking a deep breath. "Well, I am caught between wanting to get my revenge on the chairman of The Tops and having trouble expressing myself to..." I stopped there, wish I can tell Arcade that it is Craig I am having trouble getting to know. "expressing myself to anybody." Well, I think that might be a reasonable lie to make.

Arcade, remained quiet while we walked. "Having your subconscious mind set on exacting your hatred towards the supposed murderer you're trying to track won't get you anywhere if you want to open up to others. If you are trying to hold those thoughts within you, it'll cause more conflicts in the future." He pushed his black framed spectacles up to the bridge of his nose. "Why not cast aside the revenge plot and maybe have some time to talk and interact with your companions."

"But," I turned my head forward and eyed the ground in front of me. "what if it's someone who I am having a tough time gaining trust from?"

"You can't just expect them to open up real quick and be all dandy about it." Arcade replied. "Trust is earned, not given. Why would you want to have someone give their full trust to you if you end up stabbing them in the back? Take a little but at a time, let the flower grow at its own pace and have patience."

"An' prob'ly 'ave fun in th' end, hmm?" Eric popped up from behind me and Arcade.

Arcade created a distasteful expression, sneering at the gun-slinging bounty hunter. "Not what I had in mind, eye patch. This is about trust, not banging a prostitute of some sort."

We turned left to the small alleyway where both The Silver Rush and The Atomic Wrangler reside in, making our way to the door to the right. "Let's just hope Hulk hasn't killed anybody." Veronica warned, running to get the doorknob and opened the door. Entering inside the casino is a dimly lit ground floor with a stage and chairs on the left, a small casino in the back, and a small bar on the right.

"Another one..." And right on one of the stools in front of the bar is Craig, already asking for whatever drink he wanted to get with four bottle to his left.

"Sheesh, five beer bottles in one sitting!?" The guy behind the counter said as soon as he gave another beer bottle to Craig. "Huh?" He twitched his head towards our direction. "Well, welcome to The Atomic Wrangler, where the booze cost low and the fun never ends. What brings you all here?"

Craig turned his head at us, seeing his left eye partially open and cheeks bright red. "Oh, it's you guys..." He looked back at his beer bottle and chugged the contents down his throat.

"Well, go on, Crims. Talk to 'im." Eric said, suddenly got shoved forward and landed near him. Really!? Why does it have to be me when it comes to Craig!? I'll remind myself to punch Eric in the face when I have some spare time in my hands.

I lift my head up, peeking at Craig's back for a second before pushing myself back to my feet. "Umm..." I spoke, a bit intimidated by this state in which the sniper is in. "I'll...I'll leave you alone, i-if that's okay with you." I doubt will be listening to me since his back is still facing me. I shrugged my shoulders, moving myself to my other companions, who are already walking over to the seats near the stage.

"Look, pal." The guy' voice behind the counter brought my attention to him, taking all five bottles off the counter. "You need to slow down, or I am going to lose business if you are going to drink all the beer here."

Craig groaned in an unpleasant manner. "Whatever..." He went to turned around on the stool, but stopped once he caught sight of me in the weirdest glare I have seen from him. So, this is what the state of 'drunk' looks like. "What..." He made a weird sound just as he was speaking. "What do you want?"

"I..." I don't know whether it is comfortable to be near Craig when he is acting like that. I moved my arms up, hugging myself to protect myself. "I...I think you need to take it easy for a bit..." Great, that's not what I had in mind, dumbass...

Craig glares at me while trying to maintain balance. "Why would I? I'm perfectly fine, just a bit tipsy from drinking..." Craig sounded like he is denying anything from what he currently is. He got up off the stool, also having his hand on the table to maintain his balance while having his eyes glued right at me. "I've already rented a room for us to stay tonight."

"Well, well," the guy behind the counter cleaning a glass cup spoke. "seems like somebody is getting lucky tonight!" He shows off a short smile.

That smart remark made me shut up in an instant, but I can't stay quiet or my silence will indicate that I am. "N-N-No way, that is not what he meant!" I stammered, feeling my whole body heating up from embarrassment. I walked around Craig to meet the new face. "I am over here to find some work for extra caps. I'm trying to save up enough to get to New Vegas. The name's Crimson if you're asking." I figure I would give him my name just in case.

The stranger placed the glass cup face down on the counter with the cloth beside it. "James Garrett of the Garrett twins, at your service." He introduced himself back to me. "We've got the basics covered, but now that you mention it, we have had..." He scratched the back of his head. "erm...unusual requests from some of our wealthier customers. If you can recruit escorts to match these customers'... proclivities... I'd be willing to pay you finder's fees."

"Proclivities?" I raised my right brow up. "I don't know what those a-" I stopped and rethink of the word James also said. "Wait, escorts? You mean those people who would pay to have...erm" I swallowed a huge lump in my throat. "to...be in bed with?"

"Yep," James nodded. "First, one of our wealthiest clients has a thing for ghouls, and a thing for cowboys. He wants an escort who can satisfy both fetishes, though I have no fucking clue why someone would want to bang an ugly zombie of some sort. Necrophilia if you ask me..." He shivered and made a disgusted tone at the thought of it. "Second, some of customers have said they'd be willing to pay extra for a suave talker, someone who can fake the _boyfriend experience_ real good. And..." He groaned as he shook his head.

I glared at him, confused at his sudden change of demeanor. "And? What's the last one?"

"Umm..." I could've sworn I saw the color on his face changed. "And...then there's these disgusting robot fetishists you may have heard about?"

I shook my head. "Umm, no. I...have never heard of that. What of it?" What is up with these weird, specific fetishes he is listing off?

James scratched the back of his neck with his eyes looking at a different direction. "Well, those creeps want a sexbot. Have you ever run across a sexbot?" He turned to my confused glare. "U-Umm, n-not that I'd ever want one within 100 feet of me - but I gotta be a businessman about it. But, a sexbot!? Ugh!" I have no idea what became of this guy since he is the one who requested some robot. He fixed himself and maintained his composure."Now that my little rant is done, back to a little business. So, are you willing to find these specific escorts and bring them back to this place? I'll pay you a finder's fee once you do: 100 caps each."

"Make that double and we will throw in 20 more caps of rent to the mix." Craig spoke before I can. Is he this serious when he is drunk!?

"Hot desert, you got a deal!" James smiled. "But, I must warn you about that disgusting sexbot escort, it is pretty hard to find around this area. Maybe if you can got to Mick and Ralph's near the west gate of Freeside, they can tell you were to find it. N-Not that I want to go near that rusty contraption..." He laughed weakly.

Staring directly at James, I dug into my coat pocket for my bag of caps and took out 20 of them. "Here, 20 extra caps of rent. I'll make sure to bring your...escorts here." Fucking hate how Craig decided to drive a hard bargain on my shoulders. "I'll start in a few minutes." I turned around to walk over to my other companions, who seem to have themselves preoccupied with a ghoul on the stage.

"And so I said 'I don't have a long face, I just had a stroke last week!'." The well-dressed ghoul spoke out loud, having both Veronica and Eric laughing hard. Arcade and Azrael just sat and stared at the ghoul without a hint of amusement on their faces. "One stranger came up to me and said 'Can you lend me a hand?' and I go off yelling 'Do I look like a fucking zombie to you!?'."

Veronica kept laughing as she stomped her left foot on the carpet. "Oh...oh my god! I wish The Brotherhood have a comedian like this guy. Things would lighten up their dull lives in an instant." She continued to laugh while slamming her hand continuously on the small round table beside Eric.

"I don't recall a ghoul ever be that...entertaining..." Azrael groaned with his arms crossed.

"Hey, guys?" I averted their attention to me. "I am going out to find some certain candidates to bring here. I wanted to know if any of you want to help me in this little search and guide quest."

Eric took a puff from his cigarette. "An' who might ya' be lookin' fer?" He took a drink from his small glass cup.

"Umm..." I spoke, hoping I'll be able to find the correct words to make sure I don't make everything either flip out or disgusted. "Well...I'm trying to look for this thing called a sexbot a-"

Eric sprayed the liquid contents out of his mouth in a form of some mist. "P-Par-" he coughed a few times. "Par'n me! Yer lookin' fer a sexbot!? In Freeside!?"

Veronica let out a giggle. "Well, I didn't know this mysterious courier have a slight robophilia within her skin. What happened, hulk didn't want to satisfy you tonight?"

I felt the heat burn on my cheeks as I twitch one step back. "Th-That's not the reason why, Veronica. James Garrett wanted me to find him a sexbot, not for myself! Plus," I crossed my arms. "why in the hell would I want to sleep with Craig anyway!? That's stupid!"

"Did I heard him say that he already rented a room for you and him?" Arcade reminded, pushing his glasses up. "I assume he has some plans for you tonight on which he can't tell a single word to all of us except you." He turned his head towards me with a hard glare. "And if you think I am that deaf, think again, courier."

Something about Arcade seemed to made my skin crawl, having my whole body shiver for a few seconds. On a bad note, I don't think anyone would be able to help me in my little "escorting" duties for James. "Never mind, I'll go by myself." I proceeded to the exit, tuning out of my companion's laughter in the background, and swung the door slightly inwards with enough room for just me to go out.

"Crimson..." I heard Craig's slurred voice coming from the little opening, and he somehow stopped me from shutting the door closed. He reopened the door, walked through the doorway- actually staggered- while closing the door behind him. He only took one step forward before he fell forward, having me catch him due to instinct. "Sorry..." He made some sort of hiccup sound. "haven't felt this drunk in a long time.

I growled under my breath, quiet enough so Craig wouldn't hear it. "Craig, you're in no condition to even stand on your own two feet." I pushed him up slowly and carefully have his back against the wall to the right of the entrance door. "I have no problem going out on my own, of course I have to ask some people about where this Mick and Ralph's place is and where I'll find this kind of robot for James."

Craig gave me a disapproving glare in both his off-set eyes. "Bullshit. I am not going to let you run off on your own and expect your body be filled with bullet holes. Or worse..." He went silent, turning his head to the side and he groaned.

"I don't care, Craig." I protested. "Since everybody else is making a huge joke about me finding these escorts for James, what's the point in asking for some help when all I got is a huge stab in the back. You" I eyed him. "you aren't in good condition to be walking."

Craig growled at me, shaking his head a bit with his his hand on his forehead. "Drunk or not, I am not going to let some stubborn courier with little to no memory walk in this fucking disease written slum area. And I am not going to let any thug try to make a jump at you and rob you of your innocence."

"Look who is talking, Craig!" I yelled. "In fact, look at yourself. You can barely stand for a few seconds, you're the one who is acting as stubborn as a Brahmin bull, and most of all: you're fucking drunk from drinking five beers in one sitting. Let me handle tho one on my own!"

Craig's eyes widen, well, one eye is partially widen. He pushed himself off of the wall with his infuriating glare glued on me. "I don't give a fucking damn what you say." He grabbed my shoulders and slammed me to the same spot he was leaning on. His hands reached to my forearms, gripping them in a tight hold. "I'll even wait for a while to be sober just to keep you from harm around here." I felt his hands clenched harder.

I flinched from the pings of pain in my arms from his indestructible hold. "Craig," I tried my hardest to break the strong hold, but yet again there is no way to be free from it. "Craig, let me go!" I yelled. Is he this aggressive when he's drunk!?

"No..." I heard him growl defensively. His grip tightened and tightened, making me want to scream for help. I tried to have my plea echo into the air, I was stopped instantly by Craig's lips smashing against mine.

_What the fuck!? _I gasped, my eyes widen to the cold and aggressive eyes of the sniper in front of me, as if he is telling me to shut up or I'll be his next running target. My mind became fuzzy, but simultaneously buzzing with stymie. His lips dug deeper into mine by force, having the back of my head placed on the wall. Because of this, I became frightened by this in mere milliseconds. All I did to break the lock was to use what little ounce of strength I have in my arms and shoved him down to the ground before escaping my way elsewhere, with the endless stream of frightened tears fly off my face.

"Crimson!" I heard Craig yelled from a distance.

I didn't look back at him. I kept my eyes closed and let my legs guide me to whatever they wanted me to be in seclusion. _Why did Craig do that!? _I thought with my arms wrapped over my upper torso. _Why would a married man do that to me out in the open!? _I don't think I ever want that sniper near me after that moment. Never...

* * *

_-Craig-_

_Damn it, I fucked up! _I punched the ground after seeing Crimson running off after my so called _smart _move to keep her quiet and avoid attracting attention from everybody else. But using my mouth instead of my hand was a stupid move to do, even when Crimson is highly more focused on her revenge against the chairman of The Tops. But because of me being intoxicated, it made matters worse because of my aggression towards her. "Fuck...I blew it big time..." I look off to the same direction Crimson ran toward, seeing how she disappeared within seconds of taking my eyes off of her.

"Hmm, I was wondering why you decided to follow the courier out here." I looked up to see the glasses-wearing doctor closing the door behind him, in which I didn't expect him to appear so suddenly. "What happened to the courier?" He moved his head around, scanning the surrounding area.

I shook my head as I carefully began standing up, hope being inebriated won't cause me to bust my skull open if I fall. "I did something to her I wish I haven't done. My anger from drinking five continuous alcoholic beverages lead me to show my hostility to her. I fucking regret doing that..." I balled up my fists tightly from the sight of Crimson's horrific expression in my memory.

"I hope you didn't hurt her." The doctor made an uninterested sigh. "Or, I hope she hasn't done anything that made you like this. I hate to see someone like you become easily provoked by some lowly female courier such as herself. But, I wonder..." He walked to me, towering over me with his finger pushing my chin up. "Now, NCR soldier, what makes that courier so special to you?"

"Get your fucking finger off of my chin!" I forcefully shoved him a few feet away from me. What is up with this doctor, and how come he is acting like this all of a sudden!? Either way, I can't let this fucking quack get into my head, nor try to tear me down to the ground. I took one quick look at the doctor standing against the casino's wall before I ran off through the same direction Crimson went. I don't see her anywhere around the area, kind of makes me worried inside. "Crimson, where are you!?" I murmured to myself.

* * *

_What...happened? _I began waking up to lying on the floor in a dark room somewhere around Freeside. Last time I remember before I was knocked out, I ran from Craig when he forcefully planted his lips against mine out of nowhere. I think I must've tripped on a rock and hit my head against the gravel while I wasn't watching where I was going. But, all my mind is all about Craig. The feeling on my lips haven't faded, my arms now have bruises from his tight grip, and the look in his eyes haven't escaped my memory. Fuck, I feel like crying after that little frightening moment.

"Please...somebody kill me..." I moved my legs up towards my cheat, wrapping my arms around it while I lie on the cold floors under me. I can't deal with this, so many questions unanswered to why Craig- a cold-hearted, thick-skinned, married NCR sniper would decide to silence me with his...I don't think I would even want to think of that.

"I believe that is not an option for you." Some voice echoed in the room, causing me to quickly stand on my two feet with my laser rifle in my hands.

Alert, I slowly turned myself around as I see broken metal parts, scrap metal, liquids giving off a foul smell, and a few animal carcasses lying everywhere. "Where am I?" I murmured, slowly walking to an area with some kind of chamber harboring something inside. I got closer to it, looking through the glass window as some robot stood motionless within the small space inside.

"It doesn't matter where you are." The same voice called from behind me. "What matters is..." I turned around with my laser rifle pointed at a recognizable face that left me motionless on the spot. "who are you with?"

"Corwin!?" My laser rifle slipped through my shaking hands from the Legionary's unexpected appearance. "Why are you here!?"

Corwin stopped yards from me under a lone light above him. "I came for you."


	44. Chapter 43 - Fate

_**-Wang Dang Atomic Tango Pt. 2-**_

Corwin, the Legionary member whom I met back in Nipton and Nelson, kept his hazel colored eyes locked on me and only me. Whatever is going on in his mind, I better be ready for the worse. I noticed his eyes moved a bit to the left, his brows lowered as a sign of fury. "Who did that to you!?" He growled.

"Huh?" I murmured under my breath, wondering what he is talking about.

Corwin released an impatient growl just as he stomped he way towards me. He swiftly brought his left arm forward and grabbed my neck, slamming me against the metal chamber behind me. With his right hand, he clenched my left wrist and brought it up against my face. "WHO MADE THESE BRUISES!?" He boisterous voice echoed in the small building around us.

I wish I can speak, but his hand on my neck made I nearly impossible for me do do so. "Gah...kuh!" I can't talk! His fingers clenching against my throat is also preventing me from breathing. Much like Silus back in Camp McCarran. Just hope those bruises from him haven't showed up now that Corwin has my neck.

Corwin's face began softening up, probably showing me that he is simmering down. Sure enough, he easily released his grip on both my wrist and neck before taking a step back away from me. "Sorry..." He said, monotonously. "I shouldn't have let my anger control my wellbeing. I am normally a peace and protective person, but because of my little issue with this neck-deep vengeance, now it seems I have left bruises on your neck like that murderer did on your arms."

"Wait," my eyes widen at the last part Corwin said. "how did you know Craig created these bruises on both my forearms!?"

Corwin looked at me with a remorseful form on his face. "I watched from the top of a building with my own sniper rifle. And if you are wondering why I am trained to wield one, it is because I was learned from Vulpes back at The Fort four years ago." Now his face harden up in an instant. "Then, I noticed how he forcefully planted his disgusting and vile mouth against yours."

I looked off to the side, hoping my blushing face won't be visible for the Legion member to see. "I don't want to talk about it..." I murmured. Bad enough for Corwin to remind me of Craig's little stunt he did back at The Atomic Wrangler while being belligerent from five drinks that caused him to be so aggressive all of a sudden. "All I want to know is how I got into this place?"

"Some stupid person with a bat knocked you out." Corwin answered right away. "I went to follow you to where you were going, obviously you didn't notice that idiot coming from from behind you while your mind was focused on being away from that NCR soldier." He crossed his arms and shook his head. "I managed to save you before he tried to unclothed you."

"So, you're the one that brought me here!?" I asked. "Why, so you can try to do the same to me!?" I placed my hand near my hunting knife's handle in case Corwin decide to do so.

Corwin only shook his head. "No, I came to talk to you about what happened four years ago. And how I know that sniper, what he did, and why he did it." He shift his gaze at me. "And how I am in your memory."

I don't know whether to believe this Legionary in front of me, or to strike down at him so I would deal with one less member in the wasteland. Then again, the topic about Craig and my memory seemed to have brought my fullest attention for the first time in a while. Maybe I can listen in on his side. "I'm listening." I took my hunting knife and tossed it aside. "But no use of weapons or any hostility happening during or after that."

Corwin looked down and sighed, grabbing his sniper rifle out of the holster and tossed to the table on his right. "If you think the NCR is gong to help make this wasteland a safe place and help those in need, I think you should avert your attention to what they want in mind." He walked to me and stopped just a foot away, crossing his arms on his torso again. "The NCR is more focused on the Hoover Dam northeast of here as it is one of the main sources for electricity, trying to keep the Legion from taking it over."

"Well, yeah." I rolled my eyes at the obvious statement. "Legion will make everybody slaves and will kill those who stand against them, or crucify like those Powder Gangers you put up in Nipton. But on a side note," I locked my eyes on him. "I am definitely going to give you payback for knocking me out after that little speech of the Legion's teachings your superior spoke of."

Corwin went quiet, moving his eyes to the side. "I was doing as I was told to by Vulpes. If I were to disobey, I would end up in the same fate as those worthless Powder Gangers in that ill-written town." He went back to look at me. "But that is not not the point." He grabbed my coat from my upper body and yanked me close to him. "You friend, that sniper murderer, have killed many defenseless, and innocent people in Bitter Springs. The sick, the wounded, those who show no harm to others, he and his troop killed them all."

My heart thumped against my chest, seeing how I am inches from his pale face. But he caught my attention now that he mentioned about the Bitter Springs subject. "Bitter Springs?" I lowered my brows, confused about the unknown place I have never talked about nor been to. "I've heard a couple of people mentioning that place, but has not talked to me about it."

"Pitiful." Corwin growled. "You were there too, I know. You were passing by just until you screamed at the top of your lungs by one sight of a lifeless corpse falling in front of you." He let go of me, stepping back once. "Remember!?"

I only shook my head side to side, but that was short-live when the headaches came back. Seconds later, I felt myself standing near a huge area with so many bodies lying on the ground, their blood pouring it of their wounds, the faces blank with death written all over it. "Wha-" I slowly began hyperventilating from the horrific sight, screaming as I stumble back onto the metal chamber behind me.

"Get a hold of your fucking self!" Corwin yelled, grabbing two fistfuls of my breather cloth around my neck. "Yeah, the truth hurts, so fucking what! You'll experience more death and limbs being torn apart when that fucking NCR soldier snaps and takes _you _apart!"

"No..." I didn't want to believe it. What if that memory happened elsewhere than this Bitter Springs I don't know about? Or maybe, what if Corwin was trying to say that in order for me to break ties with Craig? "How can you be so sure it was me?" I hate standing around the bush for too long, I have to know more so I can pick a side and stay in it.

Corwin snarled, showing his teeth at me."You're pathetic, bitch." Without warning me, he used the back of his right hand as it connected against my face. The impact from the slap caused me to tumble down to the ground. Thank god my arms have the strength to keep me from hitting my head against the hard floors. "Don't fucking play these stupid games on me! You might act like you have lost all your memory of your past, but I am not buying it one bit."

I turned my head towards Corwin's infuriating glare at me, noticed one his leg moving back and quickly hit against my abdomen. All the air within me from that impact escaped quickly, preventing me from screaming for help. But what's the point of having assistance in this damn building if it's just me alone with this damn Legion recruit kicking my ass. "I'm...not playing..." I wheezed as I tried to catch my breath, but Corwin prevented me from doing so by kicking me again.

"Yeah, you won't be until that murderer has his eye on you through his scope!" He yelled, feeling his hand clenching my messy hair and pulling me up to my feet. I swear, that feeling of having my hair pulled up was the worst feeling I had, besides getting shot on the arm. With his hand still clenching my hair, he slammed me on the metal chamber again. "Soon you will realize that guy's true colors in the future, then you will know who to chose and who you want to protect you. I advise you to stay away from him if you value your life."

I opened one eye slightly at his face. Why would he want me to follow his warning and keep my distance from Craig if I don't jack shit about his and Corwin's past!? "I..." I spoke, kicking him several feet away. Damn it, almost felt like my hair and skin were about to rip out of my head. "I don't want anyone ordering me around like I am some fucking child. I do have amnesia, but that doesn't give anyone the authority to pin me down and bark at my face with so many objectives they are forcing me to do."

Corwin's growl echoed in the small space, lifting his head up at me. "Then what now, degenerate!?" He asked through his teeth tightened together. "You're still going to fool everybody around you with your fake condition!? Have you not noticed that I have the endless, inflicted memory of my sister having her head being blown to pieces by that soldier!?" I noticed some tears falling down his face. "Day by day, minute by minute, second by second that image still replays in my mind through my dreams and throughout the day. Just seeing that murderer in my mind is all the motivation I need to keep myself alive and show my inner hatred towards him."

_He's like me in a way. _I thought in my mind while I glared at him. Me and Corwin has things in common, but our path to fulfilling our revenge are different based on the person whom me and him, separately, are going after. But, one thing about Corwin's hatred against Craig had me wondering. "Then, why am I involved?"

Corwin glared back me as he proceeded to walk towards me. "That, you will have to figure out on your own. But, I'll give you a little hint for the time being until you remember." He grabbed my neck again as soon as he got close to me. Like Craig, he forced himself to have his lips against mine.

I tried my hardest to break out of the lock, but I felt Corwin's entire body pushing against me and trapping me on the metal pod behind me, with both of his hands maintaining my face against his. _Can't my fucking existence in this damn wasteland get any worse!? _Only my moans escaped, my loud and pleading moan since I barely have the strength to fight off Corwin. And this hint he speaks of...why is this lip lock a hint to my connections with Corwin in the past?

Corwin moved his head back as a soft chuckle crept through his benevolent smile. "Just like how I remembered the look on your face when I kissed you back then." Just the way he says that made my hair stand up with fear. "And that terrified look in your eyes, it sure got me excited."

I tried everything to break his strong grip on my head, even the weight against me proved to be useless. Everything around my body is screaming, trying so hard to reject the spine tingling touch on his face buried on my neck. _Why me!? Why me of all people, to deserve this fucking torture from somebody I don't know!?_

Another chuckle escaped out of his throat, vibrating through my collar bone. "The terror in you, it makes me want more." I felt his hand tracing down the center portion of my chest. "Maybe I can demonstrate how the male can dominate and tear down someone in a blink of an eye. Starting with you as my first prey!"

The sound of something hard hitting against the metal chamber near my left side of the face caused Corwin to stop and turned to whoever created that gun shot. I wish I can tell who the person is, but the Legionary's head blocked my line of sight. "Get your fucking disease riddled body off of Crimson!" The ever furious growl of Craig echoed from behind his enemy.

"Why should I, soldier?" Corwin got off of me, turning himself to face his foe with his body shielding me from the sniper. "I was about to show how how I can be the dominant male out of the two of us, and mark maybe mark territory at this little courier here if she were to chose me as her alpha male." His soft laughter followed after that little protest.

I managed to use my free arms and shoved him aside, revealing myself to my NCR sniper companion several feet from where I am standing. I also noticed Arcade with his hands in his doctor's coat pocket behind him, his glasses glaring from the light made is nearly impossible for me to sew who he is staring at. Craig kept his rifle pointed at Corwin while he slowly walked towards me. "How did you and Arcade got here!?" That was the question that has been swarming in my mind since he decided to show up.

"That's not what I am here for, Crimson," Craig stopped and stood in front of me, keeping his rifle at Corwin with his thumb on the safety. "most importantly, why are you alone with this piece of trash!?"

"Well," I spoke softly. "he told me some thug knocked me out with a bat and tried to unclothed me. Whatever that means..."

"You think you can believe this piece of shit saved your life!?" Craig yelled. "One person told me that this Legion bastard followed you and knocked you out with the end of his weapon." He pulled the hammer back. "Now, tell me why you dragged her here!"

_Knew something about Corwin didn't seem right when he told me that lie. _I thought to myself, trying to reach foe my knife until I realized I tossed it aside. Guess I'll gave to wait until we deal with Corwin before I can retrieve my weapons.

Corwin just stood in silence for a good ten seconds until his lips curled up to a sneer. "Why, I was just trying to get to know the little courier, and maybe tell her everything about how much of a dictating military the NCR is to this wasteland. And maybe give her a few little hints about her pass with my little kiss."

"Kiss!?" Craig growled, noticing his rifle dropping down to the floor. He stomped away towards Corwin, grabbing his neck as he slams the Legion member to a table, having some scrap metal and tools knocking over the edge of the table from the impact. "You kissed her!?" I can tell Craig is not to happy about it as he landed a few punches at his enemy.

Corwin landed his fist against Craig's face that drove him back a couple of feet. "I'll show you bastard!" I remained on the spot away from the two men while they exchange punches for the second time of their encounter.

Arcade walked up to me while eyeing the two. "This really doesn't look good, not good at all..." He pushed his glasses up just as he turned his head down to me. "Don't you think, courier?"

I raised my left eyebrow at Arcade. "What do you mean? I just don't understand why two guys are fighting over some stupid kiss they are talking about. By the way, what is a kiss?" I don't know if I remember such a thing happened like that before my memory was wiped out, but the more I know the more I understand.

Before Arcade manage to speak, we heard Craig yelling as he land another hard punch at Corwin, then rammed him down to the same table he pinned Corwin do. "Why the fuck would you place your disgusting lips against hers!?" He yelled at his face.

"Fucking piece of shit, you did that too!" Corwin yelled back, using his right leg to shove Craig off of him. After that, he brought himself up straight, grabbing his rifle off the table. "I noticed you forcefully doing that from afar, and figure I might as well do the same to your lover. Might as well get back from what you did to my sister." His eyes widen. "Oh wait," another wicked smile. "I believe I've already did that with your wife!"

_Craig's...wife? _The sharp pains in my chest came back now that the subject of Carla is brought up, but by Corwin. I eyed Craig and his painful look in his eyes, even a tear escaped from one of the corners. But one thing that got me is why Corwin knows about Craig's wife? Unless... "Were you one of the Legion that set a deal with Jeannie May Crawford to take Carla out of Novac to slavery!?"

Corwin's grin widen in a sinister manner. "My, my. I didn't know the little courier bitch can be so perceptive, despite playing a little amnesia charade to manipulate you, murder." A wicked laugh echoed from him. "Yes, I figure devising a good plan for revenge would do you good. A loved one for a loved one, as I have requested to Lord Caesar on his behalf. Even her little talk of wanting to get out of Novac and severed ties with you good proved to be useful in our kidnapping. And with the damage from that it would've killed you like you did to your wife, but look at you now. All you are is a broken piece of nothing walking in this damn wasteland without a purpose, like me.?

My eyes widen with a sharp gasp forming in my lungs. _How can that be possible!? I though Carla loved Craig even though she wanted to take Craig and move back to New Vegas! _Figured the pain would go away in an instant, but it only intensified after thinking about how much it must've hurt for Craig to hear that.

"Carla..." Craig whispered under his breath. I saw his whole body tremble, hands turning to tightened fists, and buckled down on his knees. This is definitely the first time I have seen a harden NCR sniper being broken down so easily with word from Corwin. All this time, it was him that took Craig's wife and offered the Bill of Sale to Crawford. And about Carla wanting to leave Craig behind, is that part true? "Bastard..." Craig murmured. "You're making that up just so you can have an easier way to kill me."

Corwin let out another chuckle, putting his rifle in the holster. "Don't blame me for taking your wife away from you while you were scouting for any hostility. Blame yourself for not listening to your _precious _wife's choices and things that she really wants. It was you that drove her away into nothing but depression and the need to break the chains of that dump. And now," Corwin eyed me. "seems like there is one thing the both of us are fighting for."

"Dare touch Crimson with those hands and I swear I'll rip you apart with my own!" Craig threatened as he stood up. "I'll fight for my life to protect her from the likes of you, even if I get killed."

"Oh, but were you the one that said that you loved your wife?" Corwin crossed his arms, maintaining his crooked smile that send shivers down my spine. "Now, why would a married man like you decide to break the vows to your wife for the lowly courier bitch you are trying to protect. If I were you," he picked up Craig's rifle from the floor. "you should've killed yourself when you killed your wife."

Craig grabbed the barrel of his rifle Corwin has a hold of and shoved it onto his forehead. "Then kill me with my own rifle. If you want revenge so badly, end me and be done with it!"

I glared at Craig, distraught at his decision to have Corwin kill him. "Craig...?" I whimpered, feeling the stinging sensation in my eyelids as the tears began to form. If this is the death Craig is looking for, why would he want to do it now...and in front of me.

Corwin placed his thumb on the safety, glaring at the sniper kneeling before him with the barrel on his head. "You know what," he let go of the rifle and let it hit the floor. "why kill you off in front of the courier when I can enjoy your misery. Then maybe once you are done committing suicide, I'll take the courier and make her mine."

"To hell would I be yours!" I protest out loud. "I am no fucking prize to anyone in this damn wasteland."

"But you are to me," Corwin reassured. "you were mine to begin with, and I'll do what it takes to get you and your memory back. Maybe not now, nor the next day. But, soon I'll come back and claim my mate when I should've done that four years ago. Vale, little courier. I'll be keeping my eyes on you." He chuckled his way to the opposite direction from where we are at.

"This is so terrible..." Arcade spoke, with a worry tone in his voice.

I nod my head. "I know, I really hate seeing someone being so bro-"

"Not that!" Arcade stopped me from completing the sentence. "I was saying it's so terrible not to have someone fighting over me. I wish I can have such a brute like NCR Recon here to protect me from the Legion."

"Shut your fucking mouth, you quack!" Craig snarled after he put his rifle in the holster. "Not a fucking word out of the both of you from what just happened! And I don't want anybody near me tonight!" He got up on his feet and walked away from us. "We better head back..."

"Well, way to go, courier..." Arcade murmured to me before following Craig through the doorway to the left.

_But...I didn't do anything..._I thought to myself as the heaviness in my chest started weighing me down a little more. I really hate this feeling in me, why would I be the center of attention to anybody I come across to in this damn Mojave Wasteland? Things wouldn't have happened if I didn't exist, nor becoming the source of anybody's problems left and right. I think I need some time alone before I drift off to sleep. I looked back at the contraption in the small metal chamber behind me. "Guess I'll have to check that out tomorrow..." I murmured to myself, running off to catch up with the two.

* * *

_-Craig-_

It's just about 9:17 pm here in The Atomic Wrangler, surprised how time went by so quickly. I got myself a well deserved shower in solitude after my damn encounter with the same Legion member back at that abandoned Securitron factory, apparently doing things to Crimson that I wish I hadn't seen. But, if I weren't there on time, Crimson would've gotten herself pinned down and raped by him like the other scum did to their slaves. Just the mere thought of it made me clench the towel in my hand tightly. With just my pants and boots on, I gently placed my beret back on my head and lie on the bed with my hands behind my head.

_"Don't blame me for taking your wife away from you while you were scouting for hostility," _the words from that Legion bastard echoed in my mind. _"blame yourself for not listening to your precious wife's choices and things that she really wants."_

I heard a soft tapping on the door, though I wish I can move away from the comfort of the bed. "Come in..." I groaned. Whoever it might be, that person has a good reason to invade my personal space.

The door opened up halfway to show Crimson eyeing me with those intimidating eyes of her. "Can I use the shower in here, Craig? Veronica and Arcade are already using the other two, and I don't know if this bathroom is available."

As much as I was to tell her to get lost and stay out of my sight, but just the thought of being lonely in here made me think twice. "Sure, the bathroom is free." I moved my eyes back to the ceiling, trying to not to make any more contact to the courier. Even if I did, it pains me to remember how frightened she way when I forcefully planted my lips against her to avoid attracting attention if she screamed. I wish there was something I can do to apologize for my actions.

"Craig?" I took a quick look at Crimson with her blue coat on the table with the mirror leaning against the wall. "I don't know if I should ask, even if it's none of my business, but can I talk to you about something? Just something to get off my head."

No pun intended since she did get shot by The Tops chairman. "Fine, just make it quick before I fall asleep." I hope she won't be mentioning that Legion bastard back at the abandon factory towards the east of Freeside. I saw Crimson walking and sitting at the end of the bed to the right of me. I wonder why she has her back towards me. "What is it that you want to tell me?"

Crimson's head went forward, keeping herself quiet for a few seconds. She's probably pondering about what she should said without making me pull my rifle at her head. "It's about what Corwin told me back at that place..."

Ugh, just when she called his name makes me sick to my ears. I consider all members of the Legion nameless, and pointless in this damn wasteland. "Go on..." I groaned, closing my eyes with my head still facing up.

"I don't know if he is telling the truth or not," she continued. "he told me that I was in this Bitter Springs place about four years ago." That subject at hand made me open my eyes in an instant. "But, he also mentioned you pointing your rifle at my head just before he came up as a diversion for mw to escape." I can feel the bed freaked and moved, probably from her turning herself around."I want to know if that is true."

_Her? In Bitter Springs four years ago?_ I thought to myself. I don't recall anybody like her appearing in my memory of that accursed place. But...then again. I do remember seeing someone in a caravan attire consist of a baggy, blue, long sleeved shirt, tan baggy pants, boots, gloves and a storm cruiser headwear with goggles and bandana covering his face. Once, I did pull a gun at him while that Legion bastard ran and attacked me. Second time he helped heal my wounds before I was about to be shot down by the Fiends. To this day, I haven't seen that stranger anywhere else in the Mojave nor have I showed my gratitude towards him. "No..." It was all I can say to her.

"Oh..." I turned to see Crimson's irritated look in her eyes, probably because of how that bastard warped her mind into thinking she was in my scope's sight in Bitter Springs. "I knew it wasn't too good to be true. And he's the one that told me I am manipulating people by playing the amnesic game."

"Don't let that dirt bag warp your mind in any way as much as possible." I closed my eyes again. "The Legion are known for manipulating the simple minded people here in the wasteland, telling them things that are either hear-say or just plain old stories right off the bat." I let out a deep sigh to calm myself down before my fuse was lit. "And how that guy took Carla..." I stopped right there, reminding myself how the subject of my dead wife creates a knife in Crimson's chest cavity.

The pain in her eyes is too revealing for me to recognize. "I'll leave you alone, then..." she got off of the edge of the bed, making her way to the bathroom for her shower.

_Not again... _I clenched my hands into fists under my head. I really do hate seeing my courier companion feel so hurt inside at the slightest mention of my wife. I think all my mind is all about what was in the past, and my actions from that greatly impacted the people around me. "Crimson..." I think enough is enough!

"Yeah, Craig?" She stood by the door with her head slightly towards me. The blue halos in her eyes reflected from the lamp near her as they were locked with mine. Gosh, just seeing those kind of colored irises just made me speechless. "Craig?" Her voice snapped me out of my trance.

I looked back up at the ceiling one last time before pushing myself off the bed to my feet. "There..." I murmured, walking myself towards her. "I haven't been completely honest with you, about Carla..." I got to the table near her, sitting myself on the edge of it with my arms crossed over my bare chest.

"What do you mean?" she shut the bathroom door to lean on. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying..." I took another deep breath, hoping the tears won't form through my eyes when I tell her. "I only talked about the cherished memories of Carla to avoid remembering the ones I wish I didn't do. What that Legion guy said about me not listening to Carla's needs is true."

"You sure he isn't doing this kind of manipulating thing to you?" I noticed one of her eyebrows is up with confusion. Now I think her amnesia is a curse.

I shook my head side to side. "No. I was too thick headed and naive to even realize how she really feels. She would yell at me, throw things at me, even tried to stab me just because she was unhappy living in Novac, in which she considered as a dump. She was raised from a rich family far off elsewhere before coming to New Vegas and living in the lap of luxury." I feel the tears forming again in my eyes. "I'm so fucking selfish, thinking of wanting someone in my life and settle down instead of listening to what others want."

I saw Crimson's hand moved to the side of my face, feeling her thumb wiping away a lone tear off my cheek. I looked up to the remorseful features in her complexion as our eyes lock yet again in silence. "I may not be the best companion you have traveled with nor the greatest or prettiest woman here, but seeing other's hurt like this makes me feel-"

"Guilty?" I finished her sentence before she can. "I know, I get that a lot here and there. And you know me, I don't show off my soft side to any one..." I went silent again, my heart beating and pounding against my chest every second I eyed Crimson. "But...to you, it's completely different. Everytime when I am alone with you, I am at a loss for words. I don't know if fate has played a role in our lives, but there has to be an answer to our frequent moments when it it just us two."

Crimson pulled her arm back to herself. "I don't know either, Craig. We can't predict our futures nor find a purpose in life. All we know is that we will take one step at a time and help out each other as much as possible." She placed her hand on the door knob and opened the bathroom door again. "If there is anything you want to speak to me alone, take the time you need to recollect yourself before you decide to open up."

I am in awe. Never in my life has someone ever said something like that, nor even have that amount of patience to wait. "Thank you." I felt my lips curled to a more genuine smile since I met Carla. I have never felt this at ease and relaxed in a long time.

"By the way," Crimson brought my attention up yet again. "Arcade mention about some kind of kiss, and he hasn't explained to me what it is."

"It's some kind of gesture when two people either press their lips on the person's cheek or lips." I answered, though I don't seem to understand why she had to bring up that subject. Unless it was about that disgusting lip lock she received from that diseased, or maybe...

"So, that was the kiss you forced your way earlier today to prevent me from screaming?" She asked.

Damn it, knew she is going to say that. "Just take your damn shower!" I got up off the table, hearing the door shut behind me before plopping myself back on the bed. That was not a kiss a while ago, hell I wouldn't even call that a kiss. All I was trying to do is keeping her mouth shut from attracting any attention. Of course, I was intoxicated at that time...what if it is?

* * *

_Damn it, I can't sleep... _Sleeping next to a female stranger is not helping me out one bit. I don't know how long it has been when I let Crimson sleep next to me since not one of our travelling companions can't, but just the thought alone of Crimson being inches from touching her back with mine. "Shit..." I sat up on the bed slowly and eyed the sleeping courier to my right.

"Corwin...stop..." Crimson mumbled. Having those damn nightmares again about that fucking revenge-filled bastard. I swear, the next time I see that sneering piece of shit, I'll give him a reason to never go within 100-yards from her. "Leave...Craig alone..."

_I'm in her dream, huh? _I shook my head at that thought. Half of the time I don't understand what is going on in that subconscious of that courier, the other half is her stupidity and carelessness of her decisions that leaves me ticked the fuck off. I looked back at her, seeing her position shifted to where her face is pointing the ceiling. Just the sight of her peaceful, sleeping face reminds me where she fell fast asleep in the Dino statue at Novac...and almost kissed her.

"Craig..." The way she said my name in her sleep made my heart skipped a beat. I eyed the blue star glowing the the bottle cap she converted to a necklace, seeing how beautiful it is being worn by her.

"What makes her so special to me?" I repeated those same words the doctor asked me earlier this afternoon before I went running to find he as I crawled and hovered myself over her with the support of my two arms. Just what about Crimson makes me lure myself towards her? Is it her way of helping others out like the NCR? Or maybe how even her amnesia condition doesn't stop her from going forward to reach her goal? Maybe it's the fact that she is the first person besides Carla to have listen to my problems, but the first to understand my pain.

I saw Crimson's eyes opened and staring at me, hell I can see her face turning several shades of red. "Craig, are you okay?" She spoke softly.

Now I feel my face burning like crazy from this locked gaze. "I-It's nothing..." I lied to her as I crawl back to my side of the bed, facing the opposite direction from her. _Damn it, what is going on with me!? _I thought to myself, the stinging sensation forming back on my eyelids. It feels like something about me is taking over my subconscious whenever it is about that damn courier.

On the other hand, maybe I am traveling with Crimson for a reason. Countless times she and I have saved each other from a near death experience, and countless times we argued and spat at each other's faces. _Fate plays a role in our lives..._ What if Crimson's reason for existing ia for companionship? To search another in order to make a better future? I think fate ia telling me that if the past is still in my mind for much longer, I would end up dead before I can achieve that. I think it is time for a change!

* * *

_**((Sorry for the long chapter, I think I got a little carried away for a moment there . Nearly 7.5k views in this story, I'm surprised! Thank you all for reading my story thus far and hope to stick around until the end. HAPPY FALLOUT MONTH EVERYONE! Yes, I made up a holiday, don't judge me. XD See you in the next chapter! -CS))**_


	45. Chapter 44 - On the Spotlight

_**-(Quest Break)-**_

Last night sure was pretty different than before, a hell of a lot different than the other days. A dream about Corwin trying his best to keep Craig down and torture him with words about how unfaithful he is to his deceased wife, Carla. Me, standing and watching them from afar, couldn't take it no longer as I charged in after Corwin and thrust my hunting knife at his chest. After killing him, I went to my sniper friend and embraced him, hoping he will feel better after what Corwin said to him, but that's not until I opened my eyes and noticed Craig hovering over me with this unusual stare that is completely unknown to me. "Craig, is everything okay?" I asked as I felt the burning sensation crept onto my cheeks.

I noticed his face turning to a darker tone through the darkness around us. "I-It's nothing..." He went back to his original spot on the bed with his back on me. Whatever is wrong with Craig, I was hoping he'll be better by tomorrow morning, but I know he'll be more bitter when he wakes up. "Give me my beret!" I heard him threatening me with a low growl. I had to say something...

"Huh!?" I opened my eyes to the room all lit up from the lamp on the small table across the room. I turned myself around to lie on my back, only to see Craig's eyes stuck directly at me. I felt my whole body petrified in one place as this NCR sniper has his whole self trapping me on the bed. I looked up to see his shiny, shaved head, then noticed something is missing. "Where's your beret?"

Craig sound off another growl as a warning. "Don't fuck with me, Crimson. You took it while I was asleep and put it on your head." He raised his left hand up and snatched something from my messy hair, turned out to be his First Recon headwear. "If you think this is a joke, I am not laughing one bit about it!"

"Craig, I swear!" The volume of my voice rose a few notches. "I didn't sneak your beret off of you and placed it on mine. I was fast asleep this whole time!" I have no fucking idea how that beret got onto my head, but I think a little investigation could do the trick. "And will you stop assuming shit about everything instead of looking at the little things first!?"

The cold brute above me lowered his brows, still keeping his eyes locked with mine. "Sorry..." He exhaled deeply as he placed his signature beret back on his head. "The beret is one thing in my life I don't want to go missing. Anything happens to it, everybody's heads will roll of their bodies in seconds until I find out who took it and where it is hidden."

"Well, for one thing," I spoke. "I think we need to figure out how your beret got onto my messy ass hair in the first place. And second..." I swallowed a lump in my throat as I turned my head to the left. "c-could you please get off me so I can prepare myself?"

A soft, but spine tingling, chuckle echoed off of Craig. His head lowered down with the feeling of his warm breath tickling the spot where my neck meets the shoulder. "Actually..." I felt something rough brush against the edge of my right ear. "I still believe you woke this powerhouse grizzly from his slumber without permission. And do you know what happens when you mess with a disturbed bear?" The way he whispers in my ear so softly sends a huge electrical surge that traveled everywhere on my arms and spine. It felt similar to Corwin burying his head against my neck, but with Craig it is completely different. "You have yet to answer my question, Crimson."

I couldn't utter a small word to his question he wanted me to answer. My mind became all fuzzy, the feeling of his face against my neck made my heart beat quicker than normal._ What is wrong with me? _My body heat intensified, breathing quickened, both of my hands clenched the sheets on each aide of me. "C-Craig..." I felt powerless within his trap as his ongoing heavy breathing touched the center of my neck.

Craig's soft chuckle echoed through my throat, sending an endless surge traveling through my to my spine with each heated exhale he made. "We, of the NCR, use different tactics in breaking down the mind of an enemy with force to gain Intel. Like how you use deception in order to gain information from that Legion Centurion." He lift his head up to see my defeated and blushing face. "It seems like I have thought of a new tactic. Just look at you, Crimson. I have put you in a submissive state, but yet you didn't give me a direct answer. A strong mind yet a weak physical state."

"Then..." I breathed weakly. "why on me, Craig?" Why can't you do that to everyone else?"

"Hooooowdy!" I snapped out of my trance and life myself, seeing Eric with the door wide open. "Oh, pard'n ya two. Didn' know yer havin' yer lil' happy hour. J'st that we 'ave a lil' problem within th' lower level..."

Craig got off of me, and off the bed, to make his way over the the bounty hunter. "Next time you decide to barge into the room without notice, I'll do the same with my rifle on your head while you're fucking a disgusting prostitute." Craig punched Eric in the face and slammed the door shut, twisting the little lock on the doorknob vertically. "Why does everyone have to interrupt me..." I heard him say in a low volume.

Twisting myself to have my feet touch the floor, I eyed my Pip Boy on the desk next to the bed reading '8:30 am' on the top right hand corner. I got myself off of the edge of the bed until I felt the whole room spinning a bit. "Whoa..." I stumbled back onto the bed, still feeling everything around me turning around me.

"A bit light headed from too much excitement, I suppose?" I looked to my left where Craig is standing near the foot of the bed with his arms crossed over his bare chest. Would it take him this long to fool around with me until he puts his attire on? "I was only demonstrating to you about using deception to gain information on the enemy, by using you as an example." He walked forward to the opposite side of the bed, hovering his face above mine.

"Why am I an example..." I groaned, uninterested in the subject. "I hate being used as some puppet foe your little demonstration you are talking about. Why not you use someone else?"

"You're the one I trust." He answered. "Why would I want any other of our traveling companions to be part of what we are doing now?" Maintaining his gaze at me, he twist himself to use his whole body to trap me in the same spit once again. "Imagine you are the enemy of the NCR, one of the spies for the Legion for example. I would be one of the candidates to try an force valuable information out of that person. Punching that guy senseless is one option."

All I can do for right now is glare at his cold eyes. Any resistant from me to him might spell out something bad afterwards. "How many options are there, if I might ask?"

"Countless." He answered again. "Countless ways to break the enemy down by any means necessary. Another way is both hands on the neck." He moved himself back to have his hands wrapped around my neck like Silus and Corwin did. But with Craig, he didn't form a strong grip around it. "Either the enemy experience death, or he gets to live if he decides to spill out anything we want to know. Or," he moved his hands towards both my wrists and yanked them over my head. "we can do this."

My face began burning up from this. With my arms up, everything around me is completely exposed for him to do something against my will. "W-What good does this tactic do to the enemy!?"

Craig's crooked smile returned to his face. "Normally we would have the enemy's hands tied behind their backs whenever they are caught. But for this, we tied the together and held them up while we harm him in any way to get answers. To tell you the truth," he chuckled a bit. "I like this tactic better. Restraining the enemy against his will while we punch the living daylights out of him." He laughed louder, more sinister than before. "If only I can do that to that scumbag you call Corwin and torture him to the brink of death."

Eyeing the vicious 1st Recon, I swallowed in fear from listening to his little scheme he plotted un front of me. It's great how Craig is willing to protect mw from Corwin, but for what reason would he decide to make me his test dummy, when in fact me and him are all alone in the huge room. "Then answer me this, even if you are married to Carla, why go all your way to save me from Corwin's clutches?"

Several hard knocks was heard from the other side of the door, making me and Craig look at that direction. "Hold that thought.." He growled, getting himself off of the bed and heading towards the door again. "Leave us alone, scumbag!" He unlocked the door and swung it open the door, revealing Arcade on the other side.

"O-Oh! E-Excuse my intrusions..." Arcade's face formed a bright red color just by seeing Craig'snaked upper body. "I-I hope I am not interrupting in you in your..." He peered over Craig's shoulder and noticed me on the bed, shooting an unhappy glare at mw before turning to Craig. "anyways...I believe we have a guest down in the ground floor who seems to have a grudge against someone with a particular red hair here. And I may believe the courier might be an eligible suspect?"

I saw Craig slowly turning his head towards me, shooting me a perplexing glare. "What!?" I rose my voice. "Why does it have to be me having to deal with this random bullshit that always pop up out of nowhere!?" I hoist myself off of the bed and grabbed my folded coat from within the small draw, walking in a brisk pace with it over my shoulder towards the door. "Well, let's get this madness over with..."

"Precisely." Arcade spoke, pushing his black frames up his nose. "I would hate to arrive late on a serious predicament such as this. Unless," he wrapped one of his arms over Craig's shoulders. "if this guy ended up being late, I'll prepare a nice-"

I yanked Arcade by the doctor's coat sleeve away from Craig towards the wooden railing. "If you have some kind of will to write, write it now or I'll end up using my laser rifle on your head."

"Oh, I'm _so _scared!" Arcade shakes his hands midway near his shoulders. "You're all big and talk for a amnesic, lowly delivery girl such as yourself, and yet you haven't shown any proof that you can do it despite your weapon being left behind in the abandoned Securitron factory."

_Shit...I forgot all about my weapon there! _I smacked my left hand onto my forehead and sounded an unpleasant groan. "Fuck...how can I be so stupid enough to forget my weapon..." After Craig saved me from Corwin almost showing his so called dominance, I forgot to get my laser rifle in front of me as soon as we head back to The Atomic Wrangler.

"I heard the Silver Rush across the street has an assortment of energy weapons." Arcade suggested. "Maybe after your little moment of playing the main suspect in this detective case, we can browse around the shop and acquire your replacement armament." He pushed his glasses back up again.

Just what Arcade is saying is making my head hurt. "Sorry, can you repeat that? I can't quite understand what you just said." Just the big words this doctor is saying confuses me, having my head throb for a few seconds.

Arcade crossed his arms and sighed. "In other words, take care of the problem downstairs and you can get a replacement laser rifle. Does that sound simple enough for you!?" While keeping his arms across his torso, he brought his right hand up with his index against his chin. "Although, I don't mind looking at a few assortment of the valuable weapons. Just thinking of them brings back memories..."

"What memories?" I raised an eyebrow.

"U-Uhh..." Arcade flinched a little. "Oh, uh...of hearing stories. About energy weapons." He scratch the back of his light yellow hair. "They're...pretty crazy. Yeah..." He moved his eyes away from my direction.

"Well," Craig cleared his throat to get mine and Arcade's attention. "if you two are still going to ramble on about those energy weapons, I am heading back into the room to get myself ready for today."

Arcade made a small chuckle, bringing Craig's head up with his index finger pushing the sniper's chin up to meet the towering doctor's face. "May I trouble you for some assistance by yours truly? If you have trouble putting on the..." His cheeks turned red in an instant. "leather attire, I'll carefully and gently do it with ease."

Craig jerked his head off of Arcade's one-finger hold. "Touch me with that chem strung fingers, you'll never live another day!" He warned before turning and walking his way into the room with the door slammed shut. Craig's voice echoed through the walls, but it is inaudible for me to figure out what he is saying.

"I don't know what kind of charade you are pulling, Arcade," I turned my attention to Arcade, my voice hissed with spite at the two-faced doctor. "but whatever you are trying to do to Craig needs to be put to a stop immediately."

Arcade's glasses glared brightly from the sunlight piercing through the window behind me. "You say I am the playing the game of charades around here, hmm?" He brought up his glasses, moving his head so the glare revealed a much more colder glare from him. "It's time we have a talk, Ms. Courier..."

* * *

_-Craig-_

I stood quiet with my back up against the door after a little cringing touch on my chin from that doctor made out of fucking nowhere. Whatever his mind is riddled with, he better keep his distance from me or he will be able to see a territorial grizzly snap and attack him on sight. "I'd watch my back if I were you, Crimson..." I murmured to myself, even though it is not loud enough for Crimson to hear.

"It's time we have a talk, Ms. Courier..." I hear the doctor's voice sounded from the other side of the door. He must be talking to Crimson, who in fact is the only known courier in the group. "You don't know half of the atrocities I've seen during the years of my youth; blood, violence, territories being claimed by the NCR, feeling like you should keep yourself hidden from everyone else in the world."

"What are you talking about, Arcade?" Crimson was the next to speak, probably confused from what the doc is talking about.

I heard the doctor sigh out loud. "I'm saying, if you were in my shoes, you'll understand what I have been through when I was a child. I don't loathe the NCR just as much as the Legion has, but it's their so-called military power that is somehow becoming a huge dictatorship to this sector of the post-apocalyptic America."

"Yeah, I've seen the shit the NCR had done throughout the years..." I growled under my breath from the doctor's comment. "NCR are willing to protect those in need from the Legion's plans in taking over the Mojave."

"You might say that, Arcade." Crimson spoke, making me snap my head up slightly. "I know the NCR are willing to protect the good people in the Mojave that are in need from the Legion's plans in making everyone their slaves." Wait, has she said the exact words I have just said seconds ago!? "I may not be a soldier of the NCR, but I will help them to keep the Legion from taking over this wasteland."

I have to admit, what Crimson said made me feel more at ease. "Crimson..." I felt my lips curled to a small smile, at least I know from the bottom of my cold heart that someone like her would never betray the NCR. Hell, throughout the fucking mishaps and unpredictable encounters she and I have been through, I'm surprised she hasn't betrayed me nor forced me to implant a bullet in her head.

"Really, you think the NCR will protect this wasteland? Pray to explain how that can work?" I heard and felt a hard thump on the wall to my right. "Now, onto a different subject regarding your NCR sniper friend, Ms. Courier." I turned around and twist the doorknob slowly, easily cracking the door slightly to see the doctor holding Crimson's shirt with both his hands against the wall. "What makes you so special to him?"

"I-I-I don't know, Arcade!" She stuttered. "He and I are just companions, nothing more!"

_I wonder if me and her are just friends..._ I thought to myself, keeping myself hidden and my breathing at a slow and quiet pace.

The doctor's eyebrows lowered, his posture and his hold remained unmoved. "Just friends, you say? Why is it every time I see you and him alone on certain occasions? For example, back in the vacant tent at the Old Mormon Fort, or outside this building yesterday? Or how about a few minutes ago? Tell me again that you and him are just friends!?"

Crimson shoved him towards the railing, though I could've wish she can shove him off the railing after what he just did to her. "What's it to you, Arcade!?" I heard her growl. "What me and Craig do is none of your business. I have no clue what is going on in your mind to be doing all that stuff right in front of me, and you owe me an explanation!"

The doctor just glared at her as he adjusted his coat and his glasses. "An explanation...you haven't given me one as to why you are always on that sniper's mind. But, I will tell you one thing." He placed his arms behind his back. "Lovers, in my opinion, are poor and horrible confidantes. I had many men in my life, hoping to share my past and willing to keep it away from others. If word gets around to the NCR, I would be hunted down and shot on sight." The corner of his lips curled up to a wicked grin. "This is one of the reasons why I have decided to accompany you on your little excursion: To test and see the relationship you have between yourself and that soldier. But, it seems a third wheel has rolled on to the love triangle, a certain Legionary to be precise."

"Whatever the hell you are saying, I will never be lovers with a twisted Legion member like Corwin." She protested against the doctor. "And why would you want to test mine and Craig's relationship if me and him are just-" she went quiet for a second. I hope her perception isn't high enough to know I am eavesdropping on the both of them. "Are you the one that put Craig's beret on me earlier this morning while I was asleep?"

I heard a soft chortle sounded off of his throat with his grin stretched wider. "Looks like my cover has blown from a empty minded courier with a surprisingly high perception. I'll give you kudos for such an amazing mystery you solved."

_So, it was the doctor that made me accuse Crimson of taking my beret!? That bastard will pay for what he did that made me do all that to Crimson. _I clenched my hand against my dark brown pants and my teeth. Can't believe someone like that doctor would invade my personal space, and Crimson's.

"But, I have one more question to ask you before we proceed onwards to your little predicament." The doctor ask, pushed his glasses back up. "Are you in love with him?"

This has to stop immediately before anything goes from bad to worse. I swung the door open, having both of them eye me in stymie."Can you please move away from the door. It's fucking hard for me to concentrate with your loud talking through these thin walls." I had to hide away my little eavesdropping from them, or my cover would be blown in an instant.

"Pardon us, soldier." The doctor chuckled. "I'll escort the young courier down to the lower level and let you have your privacy. Seems like she is as highly stubborn as a-"

"Move it!" I barked and growled in unison through my tightened teeth. I know he would try every way for me to antagonize Crimson with his false innocence. Even his flirting in front of her is really getting on my nerves. I see the doctor turning to the stairs and made his way down. "Crimson?"

The courier stopped just before making a step down and turned to me. "Yeah, Craig?"

I went silent the second her eyes locked onto mine. My mouth opened slightly, but I couldn't let a single word escape out of it when I wanted to ask the same question that doctor asked her. "Do..." I clenched the side of my bottoms again as ai let out a disgruntled grunt. "Do be careful around that guy." Great, what a way to change the subject.

All Crimson did was nod her head once. "I will. I'll see you downstairs." She turned back around to the stairs and made her way down feet behind the doctor.

A deep exhale went through my nose while I shut the door behind me. "What's wrong with me..." I spoke to myself. That question that doctor asked her has been swirling in my mind like an angry Cazedore's nest when disturbed. My anxiety have began to kick in from this curiosity. More importantly, something from within me is screaming to know the answer.

_To test and see the relationship you have between yourself and that soldier. _What if the doctor is trying to break me and her apart from this bond she and I have so far? But me and that courier doesn't have any sort of bond to have besides being traveling companions.

"Relationship..." I repeated the word a little louder. "Do we even have that, Crimson?" I don't know what I am feeling right now, but just saying her name made my cheeks burn. Images of what just happened before the doctor interrupted us, and what made me do, flooded my mental image with what maneuvers I demonstrated on her back at my time in the military. Just thinking about that made me bit my lower lip with my heart pound rapidly against my chest. "Fuck...damn that fucking doctor!" I growled, feeling like my other persona is taking over me. Because of that, I think I may need a moment to myself.

* * *

"Oh, there you are!" Veronica squeal with glee with her hand waved in the air. "I was wondering when the famous courier of the wastes was about to wake up!" I heard her giggle echo across the room. She is sitting near a small table with Eric and a bunch of playing cards sprawled all over.

I got down to the bottom floor when I rolled my eyes at her. "Getting tired of that celebrity thing, Veronica." I walked over to one of the chairs near the stairs and sat down, placing my coat over my thighs. "So, Arcade..." I cleared my throat, turning to the doctor nearby. "where is this person who is looking for some red haired person here?"

Arcade shrugged his shoulders while looking forward towards the stage. "I can't quite tell since I've wasted my time interacting with a simpleton of a courier such as yourself. If you hadn't dawdled in your little stalling method, we wouldn't miss the opportunity to meet this certain thing."

I growled loud enough for everyone to hear. "Oh, shut the hell up, Arcade! Look who is talking!?"

"Oh, I didn't see you there, Crimson." I heard James shout from behind the counter. I stood up to see him and a woman walking towards the counter. "Oh, I forgot to introduce my twin sister to you.."

"Francine Garrett, co-owner of The Atomic Wrangler." The female twin introduced herself. "I've received word from my twin brother that you have taken upon the escorting duty for him. How's the search going for you?" She took a little glass cup from the side and wiped it with a small cloth.

I shook my head left and right. "No, unfortunately. I kind of ran into a slight predicament along the way. But, I'll make sure to find what you need in the meantime."

"Oh, apparently one of the guards across the street from here are looking for you, it seems." James commented. "Though I didn't get a reason from, they said they saw someone with familiar red hair with a different attire on and they wish to speak with her immediately. Which I think it might be you."

I poked my arms through the sleeveless holes of my light blue coat, buttoning them before putting the tan belt over my waist. "Just hope it's not the Legion wanting to capture me. Plus, I also need to find a replacement laser rifle since my previous one was left in the empty factory in the back of Freeside."

"Well, aren't you luck!" James smiled while folding up his cloth. "Those same guys that came here also run the Silver Rush across street, and has a massive assortment of energy weapons such as your laser rifle. But, I should warn you that they don't tolerate anyone stealing their merchandise nor antagonizing the owners of the place. They will shoot you on sight with no questions ask."

"I'll head over there right now and check it out. Maybe they have one in a better condition than what my laser rifle was before." I eyed my Pip Boy device on my left wrist, reading 9:23 am on the corner. "Besides, I think I need some time for myself and try to shake away the troubles that had happened last night."

"What about us?" Veronica asked, seeing her holding three cards in her hands with Eric on the opposite side if the small table. "Why can't any one of us come with you? You might never know the guards if the Silver Rush might kill you in an instant if you don't have anybody by your side to aide." She placed a card with a '6' on it. "Hah! I got you, tiny! Hand over the caps!"

"Stop callin' me tiny, V!" Eric yelled, slamming his cards onto the table. "M' happy stick is a good length when provoked by a she-Brahmin!" He dug into his pockets and grabbed a small bag of caps, tossing it over to Veronica's hands. "There goes th' pay fer m' happy hour t'night."

Azrael, with Terrence beside him using a bowl and stone to grind the contents within it, groaned while he sharpened his katana. "Why must go all lengths to commit adultery with many different women here in the wastes? Find something else to make yourself pleased in the long run ahead."

Eric lied back on the chair with his hands behind his head. "I wish, findin' a broad t' settle with is hard t' find. Only a cupid's arrow t' th' heart can make this scuffling wanderer stop in his happy trails fer that specific cowgirl." He sighed deeply, showing his depressive feature on his face. "J'st hope she'll accept me ev'n with an eye gone from chem abuse an' a replacement leg from th' shin down."

"Love is hard to find when wanting to search for a specific individual." Arcade sat down on the chair near me, pushing his glasses up his nose. "It takes time with trust, honestly, being open-minded, and willing be with that person in the end of their lives. Thought, I still believe lovers make poor confidantes..."

"What does that mean?" I asked. He mentioned that word to be a few minutes ago while we are near the rented room door where Craig was getting himself ready for today. Of course, I haven't got around to ask Arcade what it means.

Arcade only moved his eyes at me, retaining his unsatisfied demeanor towards me. "A person with whom one shares a secret or private matter, trusting them not to repeat it to others. I wonder if you, Ms. Courier, are one of those people, no?"

Now that Arcade has told me what confidante is, that might be me right on the dot when it comes to Craig and his personal troubles during his time in the military. "I think I am..." I pressed my thumb and index finger.

Arcade groaned while shaking his head unpleasantly from my answer. "You think you are? How unfortunate by a simpleton of a courier like you can't figure out where to place your left leg in which direction, let alone keeping secrets from your fellow comrades in arms." He reached into his doctor's coat pocket and pull out a small book with some strange wording that I couldn't understand. "Fortuna tibi. Good luck to you."

"Can you fucking stop with that Legion language while I am around!?" I turned my head to see Craig in a white shirt and dark pants with the bottom part tucked in his combat boots. He walked towards me with his hands in his pockets. "Sorry, I took too long to prepare. I just..." A hint of red formed on his cheeks. "I just had to take care of something for a bit."

"No worries, Craig." I smiled a little. "I am about to be on my way to the Silver Rush to look for a replacement laser rifle and figure out why someone has a grudge on me there. Maybe I can handle this one on my own."

Craig growled out loud. "Over my dead body you are not. You need someone with you to keep you protected from harm. Don't you want history to repeat itself like that time in the REPCONN Test Site?"

"Oh, let the courier skip along to the Silver Rush and confront the owners." Veronica squealed, placing another card on the table. "I know she wouldn't hurt a fly or two, so why can't see harm the people over there?" She placed all if her cards on the table and cheered with her arms up. "FULL HOUSE BABY!"

"Gon' darn it!" Eric slammed his cards on the table, making a few caps fall off the edge by the impact.

I exhaled a bit, walking past Arcade and Craig. "Come on Craig. You can come with me."

"You can thank me for saving your sorry ass if any of those guards there make a jump on you." Craig spoke, walking a foot behind me towards the exit. "Just make this quick so we can continue finding what you were looking for yesterday." We got outside when he appeared to my left, keeping his distance as close as possible to me.

I nodded while we walks to the Silver Rush, making our way to where somebody in a dark colored combat armor with some gun in his hands standing near a huge silver case to his left. "Umm, hello. I believe someone has told me that person wants to see me here?"

"I believe so, ma'am. One of the owners may think you might be the one he is searching for in his little assignment." The guard spoke. "But, before you can enter, I have to ask you to turn in your weapons and must be check for any miscellaneous items such as grenades, knives, et cetera, that might pose a threat to anyone inside. Would you accept it?"

I went to get my hunting knife from my hip until I stopped just as I placed my hand on the handle. "May I ask something first?" I said. "Just how are you going to check for anything other than the weapons we are going to give you?"

The guard placed his weapon down on the silver case near his feet. "It's simple. All I have to do it pat you down everywhere, even your pockets and boots, to find any certain items that is not allowed other than the items sold inside. For example, how can I know that bottle cap necklace doesn't have a little microchip as a detonator when you are just two feet from the owner?" He cleared his throat for a second. "But, rules are rules here in the Silver Rush. No harm done except for a little patting here and there."

Craig walked up and handed the guard his rifle and machete. "I'll go first, Crimson. I'm betting you don't know any of this due to your memory being wiped out." After his weapons were taken away, Craig lifted his arms up as the guard use both hands and patted everywhere around the NCR 1st Recon. "Sheesh, brings back to the time I got patted down before entering the Gomorrah with Manny. I hated that place..." I wish I can ask what he meant by that.

"Alright, you're good." The guard signaled him and turned to me. "Now, your weapons please." He placed both hands out in front of him to me.

* * *

_-Craig-_

Hate how I have to be patted down by some stupid guard for any other arsenal we have hidden in our possession. Fuck, I even feel worthless without my rifle on my back, knowing that if one false move was made in the store, I wouldn't have it to protect myself and Crimson. "Okay, this will take a few seconds, ma'am." The Silver Rush guard spoke to the courier after she handed him her hunting knife.

I noticed how Crimson's face turned into a deeper red color after seeing how I was patted down in front of her. _She must feel a bit uncomfortable about that. _I thought to myself. Just when the guards hands were planted on her hips and down her legs made me growl quietly. I don't know why just the sight of it made me clench my hands into fists, but by how her arms and shoulder were trembling meant she felt a little violated by that. Hell, seeing that Legion bastard's body against hers forcefully last night was far more worse than this.

"A-Are you done?" Crimson stammered with one of her eyes opened at my angered face.

The guard stood back up after patting down her arms. "Yea, ma'am." I noticed how his head lowered a bit, and his left hand raised to look at Crimson's blue star bottle cap necklace with his fingers. I can't believe he decided to check on the bottle cap I gave her back at the REPCONN Test Site. Didn't know he was taking everything he said so seriously and defensively. "Alright, you are free to go in." He let go of the little trinket on a string and walked back into his post.

Crimson walked slowly to where I am standing and eyed me. "Shall we head inside, Craig?"

I just only nod my head once at her. I haven't let the tension within me fade away after what I just saw. Maybe I'm becoming a little protective over her. _No, not a little...a lot._

* * *

**_((Terribly sorry for the delay everyone. I have a lot of issues going on with my family and working extra hours at work. Everyone catching the cold, (that time of the season again...) and my dad, well...not so good. I also have Fallout 4 from a contest, yet no XBox One due to bills, bills, and...yes, BILLS! So, for the time being, I'll still be playing New Vegas and 3, and continuing with this. See you next chapter! -CS))_**


	46. Chapter 45 - Got to Earn It!

_**-Birds of a Feather Pt. 1-**_

_Well, that was really something..._I thought to myself as I, and my sharp shooting companion Craig, made our way towards the entrance doors of the Silver Rush. Whether or not I have experienced being patted down long before I lost my memory, but all I am doing in the place is get a replacement laser rifle and figure out who is looking for me and why. I opened the door into the building, entering to a dark area with lights shining in the middle.

Four guards, two on each side, are blocking both paths leading to the center of the building, holding the same weapons the guard outside is holding. "Stop right there, you two." The guard on the left spoke with his weapon held at us. "Our owner is in a meeting with one on our associates at the moment."

Craig was the first to clear his throat. "Apparently, me and Crimson here have word that one of the people here wish to speak to a certain red haired girl that walked into the Atomic Wrangler yesterday." I saw his head turned to me. "This red head here."

"Oh," the guard next to the armed one spoke. "I heard Jean-Baptiste Cutting said to make sure the specific person with the red hair comes in and wait if there is anything happening here." He turned to me and Craig. "You two should keep yourself put until Ms. Van Graff have settled her complaint within the building."

"P-Please, Ms. Van Graff!" Craig and I noticed through the gate in front of us is a white suited man sitting on the floor with his left hand holding him up, like he is trying to prevent the lady in front of him from doing something else. "W-We should be reasonable here. M-My associated and I have decided that we wish to negotiate the terms of our deal."

A tall, African American female with a blue-gray, ripped and torn blue business suit with ripped black fishnet tights and mid-shin high boots. She crossed her arms across her torso with her head facing towards the frightened businessman. "Mr. Soren, I don't have time for your little negotiation here. We are here to discuss about the second half of the payment. I want to know why it's late."

The one named Mr. Soren stood up but kept his legs bent a bit. "We...Well, M-Ms. Van Graff...I-I-I just n-need a few seconds" he chuckled weakly. "to come up with a...a reasonable explanation for all of this."

"And what might that reason be?" The Van Graff woman sighed. "The shipment was delivered a few days ago. The guns don't leave this premises until they are tested and are in the right condition for delivery, and you know for a fact that is true. The paperwork read 3,715 caps for the entire cargo unit, and yet I have received half of the full amount of caps.."

"R-Regardless of the situation, ma'am," Mr. Soren spoke, clearing his throat. "I believe the quality of the weapons is below expectation than what they are in the ads. We figure me and Mr. Wills could adjust the price accordingly to a more agreeable amount."

"I wonder what they are talking about?" I murmured to Craig beside me, walking forward towards the barricaded gate in front of us.

Craig shrugged his shoulders with barely any hint of interest in his posture. "Beats me. Maybe settling a dispute over some weapons and payment? That kind of stuff regarding energy weapons doesn't catch my interest one bit."

The owner raised her eyebrows, tapping her foot a few times on the floor. "Hmm, I see." She walked over to the tall guy near her. "I think I understand the situation here. If you can give me a few seconds of your time for me to come up with a solution."

"A-A-A s-solution!?" Mr. Soren stuttered, backing up a couple of feet. "J-Just what is going on here!? Who is that guy!?"

The Van Graff girl, with her back towards the guy, turned her head to catch a glimpse of him. "A lesson, Mr. Soren. A lesson in never breaking the faith in the Van Graffs." She turned to the guard next to her. "Jean-Baptiste, do it."

The one named Jean-Baptiste held his weapon up, shooting some light green orb at Mr. Soren as his whole body dissolved into a big, glowing green puddle of goo. "Bastards nowadays don't know when to stop pissing me off..." He spoke. "You sure that's a better solution, Gloria? Killing off another associate because he didn't return the other half of the full amount?"

"Easy, brother." Gloria held her hand up. "Money is power here in the wastes. Without it, what's the sense?" She walked around the counters to the little opening between them, turning her head quickly over to my and Craig's direction. "Customers?"

"Ma'am," one of the guards called. "is this the red head Jean-Baptiste is searching for to have a small chat with?"

Jean-Baptiste turned around to were me and Craig are at. "Hmm, I see..." Just as his eyes met mine, that's when the expression in his his face harden. "Well well...everybody, get back to work. I'll handle the guests." He holstered his weapon on his back just as he began walking towards us.

"Are you sure that is the person you are looking for?" Gloria asked him.

Jean-Baptiste remained quiet through the short walk to meet with me and Craig near the exit. Just ad he was about a few feet from us, he ran forward and shoved me onto the metal gate with force. "So, you decide to waltz into this building with not a care in the world to say hello to your imminent demise? Well, you have just met up with death himself!"

I glared at the hostile owner in front of me. "Wait, what in the hell are you talking about!?"

Jean-Baptiste didn't answer back to me, just placing both of his hands around my neck in a very tight grip like how both Silus and Corwin did. "Once I am done with you, bitch, I wont have much of a competition in this fucking wasteland much longer." He began to chuckle while his hands slowly tightened around my throat. "Oh, how I've waited for this day to come!"

"Whoa, whoa, wait a damn minute!" Craig yanked Jean-Baptiste away from me, releasing his grip from my neck. "We didn't walk over here just to see Crimson being threatened for what ever reason you have in your head." He made himself a shield in front of me to avoid Jean-Baptiste from using the same maneuver again.

"Crimson?" Jean-Baptiste growled. "Are you sure that is not the caravan owner Rose of Sharon Cassidy in disguise!? I have been searching for that bitch for a long time to give her a piece of my mind!"

"Whoever you are talking about, I am not that person you are looking for." I hope with a little reasoning to see the light of his mistakes, he'll back down. "I am the..." God, I hate saying this! "I am the _radio celebrity _courier, Crimson." I showed him the scar on the left side of my head that is hiding behind my messy, red hair.

Jean-Baptiste raised one of his dark, thick brows at me. "Courier? As in the lowly courier who has been helping the NCR around wasteland? Why would you be over instead of delivering packages to everyone else?"

"Like you have to settle a score with the Rose person, I have someone I am searching for to settle mine." I answered, letting my hair cover my scar again. "The Tops chairman Benny shot me several nights ago while I was trying to deliver a Platinum Chip, and I am trying to get enough caps to get through the gate so I can confront him."

"But," Craig butted in. "One other reason why we are here is that Crimson is looking for a replacement laser rifle after losing her first one last night. And if I am correct, you people have that specific type of weapon in your inventory, right?"

Jean-Baptiste nodded once. "As a matter of fact, we only have one laser rifle left in our shop. If you can ask my half-sister, Gloria, for that, maybe we can negotiate an agreement."

Craig turned himself slight to meet my eyes with his. "It's worth a shot, don't you think?"

I just shrugged my shoulders, breathing out through my nostrils. "Can't argue with that..." Jean-Baptiste lead us to the left part of the building over the the center where Gloria is standing behind the tables filled with an assortment of energy weapons, grenades, mines, and ammo of both laser and plasma. "Fascinating, who knew there is more to energy weapons than just my laser rifle!" I got near the table just as I was about to pick up a small grenade nearest to me.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you unless you want to buy it." Gloria made me stop with my hand barely touching the item. "If you don't have an iota of common sense with that plasma grenade, I advise you to keep your dirty hands off of it if you want to make us into puddles of glowing matter."

I swallowed a huge lump in my throat from the sudden thought Gloria made, having me bring my arm back to my side. "Sorry, just that last night I left my laser rifle back at the abandoned robot factory at the back of Freeside, and it might've broke or stolen by a settler there. So, I am over here to find a replacement one, and I've heard you have one of those weapons left here."

Gloria nodded. "As a matter of fact we do, but that one is not in the best condition to sell to our customers. Apparently someone brought it over here to sell it for some excessive amount of caps, but with that kind of condition it is in, we have to give him about 50."

"Trying to drive a hard bargain on you, I suppose." Craig said, his arms crossed against his chest. "That's what people nowadays do just to get fast caps and become that fucking rich over stupid junk they find around the Mojave."

"I agree." Gloria turned to her brother. "Brother, may you bring the laser rifle here?"

Jean-Baptiste brought out a set of keys and went to the door, the only door, to the left of us. "Laser rifle is in here..." He unlocked the door and opened it slightly for him to reach over the small doorway to retrieve the laser rifle in just a matter of seconds. He locked the door back up, walking over to me and Craig and held it up for me to see.

I examined the barely worn out weapon in Jean-Baptiste's hands, but something about that weapon in front of me kind of reminds me of my laser rifle I forgot to retrieve last night. "Strange..." Only thing noticeable about the weapon is that it has a small crack near the barrel of the weapon, much like mine.

"What is it, Crimson?" Craig asked from behind me.

"Look, are you going to take it or am I going to break this weapon with your head!?" Sound like Jean-Baptiste is the impatient kind of person.

I grabbed the weapon carefully off of his hands, turning and twisting the armament for any other signs that it _might _be the same weapon as mine. "I don't know..." Just when I was about to put it down, I noticed huge a small piece of red hair near the handle part of weapon. "Hey, this is my strand of hair on the handle here!" I turned to Gloria. "Where did the guy found this?"

Gloria shrugged her shoulders. "All he knows is that the place was full of dead rats when he found it over night while scavenging. He saw that one and gave it to us. But if it is yours, it's pretty stupid to leave such a poor condition weapon for others to take it and sell it. But, since it is sold to me, that makes it my property unless you want it."

"Well, I want this laser rifle back." I said to her. "How much do you want for it?"

"1,200 caps." Gloria answered.

"WHAT!?" my voice echoed in the large open area. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND!?"

Gloria remained neutral and unmoved from my complaint. "You're lucky your weapon is not in full condition and has so many scratches on it, otherwise I would've charged you for the full price of 3,000 caps. But, my offer for that one stands."

I sound off an unpleasant groan. "Shit...I don't have that kind of amount of caps on me to afford this." I gave the laser rifle back to Jean-Baptiste. Guess I'll have to go elsewhere for a shotgun or something."

"Actually," Jean-Baptiste spoke to Gloria. "I believe we can cut you a deal, if you are willing to accept."

"Brother, what are you doing!?" Gloria shout at him. "We won't make business much longer if we decide to cut the prices too much like Mr. Soren did. When we sell an item, we expect all caps in hand!"

"You said you are looking for another bodyguard with Simon near the store entrance?" Jean-Baptiste asked. "I am thinking she can work for us to pay for her laser rifle."

Gloria turned to my confused expression written on my face, pushing her thin, dark brows together in an apprehensive manner. "I'm not so sure about that idea, brother. What if this lowly courier decides to run off with the merchandise, or worse, break it into millions of pieces." She turned her back towards me and walked around the tables to meet me face to face. "Now, why would a lowly courier like you would deserve a priceless, yet worn out, weapon of such high caliber that you barely have a fucking clue how to use it?" She murmured to me, her face making it looking like she is looking down at me.

I stood my ground, keeping my gaze right at the owner. "This courier here has traveled throughout the wasteland just to find my killer at The Tops after he shot me in the head nights ago. I've faced the Fiends, raiders, the Legion, hell I even fought against a Deathclaw with a couple of my companions. I hold no ill will on anyone unless they do something to make me turn my back towards. So, why not assume the courier when you can judge what I did for the past few days during my journey for revenge?"

Gloria remained still, her golden brown eyes remained locked with mine for a moment until her deep sigh signified defeat. "You got spunk, I'll give you that. But, can you prove it when you handle your first day of the job as a bodyguard of this store?"

"If it means busting my ass and guard the store with an iron fist, I'll do what it takes to work for what I need." I answered, my eyes flared with determination at the store owner.

Gloria nod once, then turned her head to her brother. "Brother, take the courier over to Simon out front. Tell him she will be his new guard partner." She turned back to me. "If you manage to excel in this job, I figure I'll let you get paid by the hour do you can earn your weapon back. But until then, don't mess this up."

"Follow me, courier." Jean-Baptiste bobbed his head to the side to signify the direction I am suppose to go to. I, along with Craig behind me, followed him to the doors outside the store, meeting up with the same bodyguard that took my and Craig's weapons. "Simon, Gloria has decided to let this courier take on the guard duties with you. You'll be training her from now on."

"Wait, you've got to be kidding me!?" Simon shouted.

"I know," I spoke. "I said the same thing when your boss tried to offer 1,200 caps for my laser rifle I forgot last night."

Jean-Baptiste shook his head along with an impatient groan. "Just fucking train her and let her get to know the basics! You don't want to suffer the same consequences as your previous coworker a fee months ago." Without receiving a direct answer from Simon, Jean-Baptiste turned back to the store, closing the door behind him.

Simon turned to me, his dark eyes show barely any interest in helping me get to know the guarding job. "Ugh, why am I the one that has to train an inexperienced new recruit!?" He mumbled as he shook his head. "Alright, newbie." He spoke up, having my attention directly at him. "Guarding the Silver Rush is not an easy task to do. You've got to be hard on the oncoming customers, protect the door with your life, have them submit to a weapons check, and most of all: Never betray your owners and coworkers. Get what I mean?"

I nod once. "I think I get it. But, what do I have to do with this guarding job?"

"Well," Simon rest his rest his weapon on his shoulder. "even though I said guarding the Silver Rush is not an easy task, guarding in general is. All you have to do is stand in front of the door and make sure no one tries to sneak in with hidden weapons, if they are in no condition to enter, and must accept a weapons check whether they like it or not. But before we can start, you need to put on the Van Graff armor when your on the job." He holsters his weapon before kneeling down to the silver case with keys in his hands. With a click, the case opened, having Simon bring up the same kind of armor he is wearing.

"That's the kind of armor she'll be wearing?" Craig said behind me.

"Wish she can keep her attire on?" Simon turned his head to Craig. "Sorry, but store owner rules insist that all employees must wear the armor when they are on duty. No questions asked." He handed me the armor and placed it on both of my arms. "I will wait over here while you go and put your armor on. But don't take too long. I hate waiting for a long period of time."

"You have my word, Simon." I answered. "I'll be heading to the Atomic Wrangler to change. I do need a bit of privacy to change."

Simon let out a loud laugh that echoed in the compact alleyway. "I don't blame you, I am the same way everyday. Oh, and just when you are about to head back over here, you must not have anybody accompanying you. If you want to be trained for this job, distraction is not included here. That means your NCR Recon buddy must not be with you."

I don't know why, but my heart sank deeply down within myself after hearing that rule Simon enforced on me. As much as I hate it, but I got no choice. "I'll be back in a moment." While holding onto the armor in my arms, I walked my way back to the Atomic Wrangler with the pain resurfaced on my chest.

"That armor looks a bit small to fit you, Crimson." Craig, out of nowhere, murmured yo the right of me. "You sure it's a good idea to do this over a stupid laser rifle?"

I can only move my shoulders up and avoid eye contact with Craig. "If it means risking myself to earn that weapon, I'll do what I can to earn it." I replied, opening the door to the Atomic Wrangler yo see Eric on the bar table, Azrael and Terrence on the chairs near the stage, and Veronica in the floor with different metal part from her Power Fist surrounding her like a barrier. "Hey, where's Arcade?"

"Oh," Veronica spoke up. "he went back to the Old Mormon Fort to get a few of his doctor's supplies he forgot to bring. Hr said he need them for some psychological purposes or whatever he said."

"Bull-fucking-shit, that damn doctor will never try every way to get into my head." Craig growled, cracking his knuckles ad he walk to the bar and sat a seat away from Eric. "If you need any help, you know where to find me." He said before asking James for a round.

I just had to shake my head and groan. Today I probably not a good day for me as of now. Trying to get into New Vegas is moved to a halt, getting caps for entry will take a fucking long time, and now trying to earn my laser rifle from Gloria will prove me useless if I fail on the first day of guard duty. I proceeded from the exit to the stairs where my rented room is at. _Let's hope this job will be worth the caps... _I thought to myself. I got to the room with my hand twisting the doorknob, opening it to stop at someone lying on the bed. "Why are you over here!?" I growled.

"Oh, I was expecting the NCR soldier to come barging through the door." Arcade is lying on the bed with the small book of strange words on the cover.

"Shut up!" I hissed. "Veronica told me you went to the Old Mormon Fort to some supplies. Why are you in here!?'

Arcade continued moving his eyes from one side the other on the small book. "That person is oblivious to my silent walking, due to the fact her mind was fixated on her device that attaches to her right wrist." He moved his eyes directly to me. "Never expect Ms. Courier herself to come here first. What is it that you need?"

"What I need some privacy so I can change to a different armor so I can start working at the Silver Rush across from here. I need you to leave." I moved to the side and gesture my hand towards the open doorway out the room.

Arcade closed the boom and got up off the bed. "I'll do ad you ask, Ms. Courier." He walked towards me, his eyes locked with mine. "but," he shoved me against the wall with one hand on my right shoulder right beside the open doorway. "I must..._experiment _something." He moved the same hand that was on my shoulder towards my blue star bottle cap necklace, holding it between his index and thumb. "Such a dazzling trinket you have around your neck. I heard scavengers would die just to retrieve this kind of prized item for treasure." He moved his eyes at me.

I glared back at him. "What's it to you!? Why are you so interested in my companionship with Craig and I?"

"Experimenting..." He murmured, letting my necklace dangle down on my upper torso. "I want to know about your innermost thoughts with Mr. Soldier you've had since you've been with him. Maybe your feelings?"

"Get the fuck out!" I shoved him out of the room in a flash, slamming the door shut with the knob turned vertically. "What the fuck is up with Arcade!?" I walked to the bed to place the uniform flatly on the bed, still folded neatly as it id when I got it from Simon. Just by one glimpse of the attire, Craig was right. It did look a bit small for me to fit into. "Looks uncomfortable..." I winced just by the mere image of the small uniform on me.

"Couldn't agree more..." The soft sound of the NCR sniper Craig near the slightly opened door made me jump a few inches off the floor. "And you need to be more alert if I am going to sneak in quietly undetected."

"Yeah, and give me a heart attack..." I clutched the area where the rapid beating of my heart is pounding against. "Why are you here anyway!?"

Craig groaned, inviting himself into the room with the door shut behind him. "hearing the door slammed after you shoved the doctor away just when I was on my way to the restroom in this room. I bet that doctor must've pulled another nerve on you."

I held up the top portion of the dirty tan uniform above the bed. "Said something about experimenting my innermost thoughts and feelings about you...whatever that means." I dropped the uniform back down onto the bed to unlatch the Pip Boy off of my wrist.

"To hell would he ever do that to you, Crimson." I felt his hands moved onto my shoulders. Just the soft touch of it left my cheeks burning within milliseconds of contact. "Your thoughts and feelings are for no one to know but yourself. Only you can chose to express it if you wish to do so."

I held my hand against the top portion of my left sleeve, clenching it tightly due to Craig's presence behind me. "I-I know..." I gulped nervously. After taking both my sleeves off my arms, I unbuttoned the cloth attached to the breather around my neck, sliding it around it to have my neck exposed. "I just wish there can be someway to express myself without hurting someone..."

"Crimson..." The way Craig whispered my name somehow caused my heart to jump out of it's position in my torso. Next thing I know I felt something brushed against my exposed neck. The quick breathing and the warmth from it must be coming from either his lips or his nose. Either way, the ticklish sensation send a an endless shockwave on my arms and spine.

"Craig...?" I wheezed, feeling more of the tingling touch on my neck. What's happening with me? My mind went blank again, the fire blazing in me, my legs shaking uncontrollably to the point of buckling down to floor. Just as Craig made his way to the back of my neck, a sharp gasp flew into my lungs.

Craig's chuckle echoed from behind me, his arms slowly wrapping around me in a gentle, but tight, hold. "You're burning up..." He whisper in my ear. "What are you going to do now that you are trapped within my arms?" I felt something nip against the connection between the neck and the shoulder.

Some strange noise within myself manage to unexpectedly escape from whatever Craig did to my neck. "N-No..." I felt defenseless. Even though something from my subconscious is yelling at me to resist, but I couldn't control myself much longer, I feel more like a dead body lying on the ground with little to no strength to fight. That is, until Craig twist myself around and pinned me to the bed, showing me a spine shivering glare in his green irises.

The look in his eyes were hard for me to recognize, since this might be the first time he has shown me this side of him. As his breathing began slowing down, so does his little stunt. "Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away...somehow."

Confusion is placed over my face like a mask of some sort. "Carried away? What made you like this in the first place?" I swear, what ever is up with Craig he needs to spill is quick or I am going to lose it.

"I'm just a little deprived, that's all..." His face shown a few shades of red when he turn his head slightly towards the door. "No...maybe a lot."

Again, confusion. "I don't follow where you are going at."

Craig huffed through his nose, pushing himself off of me. "It's nothing..." Without another word no anymore eye contact, he walked to the the room's door, exiting himself with it shut gently behind him.

"Odd..." I sighed, looking at the uniform on my left. "Deprived...wonder what he meant by that..." I murmured, began to undress myself to put the uniform on.

* * *

"It's about time you got here." Simon said, resting his weapon on his right shoulder while eyeing me with the Silver Rush uniform on. "Sorry about the size of the Van Graff clothing, that's the only one we have left."

"Actually," I walked several feet away from the Atomic Wrangler with no complaint from the uniform. "I didn't expect the armor to fit perfectly on me. I would've figured it would be too tight against me."

Simon laughed out loud. "I agree. When I started working here four years ago, I didn't think the uniform would fit my huge torso. But, looks can be deceiving, right?"

"Pretty much." I chuckled jokingly. "So, what are we going to do first?" I got myself positioned a few feet to the right of Simon, waiting for his orders to come.

"Okay, before we start," Simon spoke. "would you rather use a Plasma or a Laser weapon?"

"Laser." I answered, of course that is the only kind of energy weapon I've used through my travels.

"Hey, me too!" Simon smiled brightly. "I just love how that particular weapon can shoot fast and make anything turned to dust. But," he groaned in defeat. "since I started working here, Ms. Van Graff only wanted me to use the Plasma rifle. It has good aim and damage, but it's fucking slow to hit!" He knelt down to the silver chest and brought out the same laser rifle Gloria wanted me to earn. "Huh, seems like this is the kind laser rifle you're trying to earn, right?"

I nod my head once. "Yep, I accidentally left it back at the abandoned factory near the back of Freeside last night while an unexpected guest somehow popped out of nowhere uninvited. Gloria told me a scavenger sold that weapon to her, hoping to get a high amount of caps."

"Huh, how strange..." Simon sounded uninterested, giving me my weapon to use for the job. "I'm the kind of person who would rather give it back to it's owner, but with Gloria and Jean-Baptiste hovering over our head, we're pretty much got our hands tied up. Anyways, I'll give you a little demonstration with this one customer."

We watched to see a woman in a long, pale pink dress walking over here. "Hello, you two. I have heard about your store from the radio, and I want to browse around for a bit."

"Okay, ma'am," Simon replied, holstering his plasma rifle on his leather holder. "but before we can let you in, we must do a weapons check on you. Will you accept?"

"W-W-Why I never!?" The lady shrieked. "You think I would let your filthy hands touch my body and dress!? I'll have you know that doing so is sexual harassment in my books!"

Simon groaned, but took a deep breath through his nostrils. "Submitting to a weapons check and being patted down is not sexual harassment, ma'am. If you can't accept, I'm afraid I'm going to politely ask you to leave."

The woman crossed her arms, moving her hips to one side. "When I get a hold of the authorities, you would wish you haven't worked in that sexist company in the first place!" She shift her eyes over to me. "I'm going to feel sorry for this young lady working here..." Turning to our east, she stuck her nose up into the air and walked away from us.

"What's up with her?" I eyed Simon.

Simon shrugged his shoulders. "Don't worry, there will be a bunch of posh, stuck-up, and judgmental people coming over here. Hell, even some trying every way to put us out in business just by yapping their lid just yo get more caps in their rich lives."

Blowing a raspberry by using my lips, I held my laser rifle up and rest it on my right shoulder. "They are all talk and no action. Plus, how are they going to show them proof that you guys are doing stuff that are against business rules!?"

"Exactly!" Simon pointed at me. "I agree with you one hundred fucking percent!" His eyes shift to the side. "Alright, now you'll have your shot with this one. This guy might be pretty easy for you."

Turning around to where Simon was looking at, I saw a darkened and hair person walking and staggering around, reminded me about the time Craig got drunk yesterday. When the guy got closer, he started giggling in a weird way that made me cringed. "Ah...h-hi there..." His voice is a bit slurred. "I've...I've come...to browse in your store...would a pretty lady l-like you let me in?"

"Sorry, sir," I stood my ground, even though the way the guy talked made me uneasy. "but you're in no condition yo enter in the store. Once you've decided to relax and detox yourself for the rest of the day, we'll see if we can let you in. Until then, we can't let grant you entry."

"D-Deny entry..." He waved his hand down, making it swing when it fell. "m-my butt...you butthead..." He staggered away while mumbling whatever nonsense he decided to say out of earshot.

"Hmm," I turned my head to see Simon nodding his head several times. "Not bad, rookie. Not bad! Nice, calm, straightforward, and keeping yourself firm. That is what we, of the Silver Rush, need in a worker. Now, let's talk about regulars."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "Regulars?"

"Oh, good afternoon, Simon!" I noticed someone in a brown tuxedo walking over from the west to greet Simon. "Another day in the Silver Rush I suppose." He even shift his head slightly at my direction. "And it seems you have a new recruit with you. First day on the job?"

Simon nod. "Yep, Mr. Lawrence. So far, with her first guarding duty, it went well without a scratch. How about you make her feel welcome?"

Mr. Lawrence smiled and walked to me. "It is a pleasure to meet you on your first day. I am Mr. Lawrence Jackson, I have always come to this store nearly everyday just to browse and maybe buy a little something when I work in one of the casinos residing in New Vegas." He extended his hand out directly to me.

I felt myself froze for a moment just from the sudden contact of someone I don't know. Hell, why am I like this instead of being what I was when I met my other companions. "I-It's nice to meet you..." My hand shook vigorously as it clenched Lawrence's hand.

Lawrence chuckled a little. "I understand you're a little nervous around new people on your first day. I have that same reaction when I worked at the Ultra-Luxe, but I kept at it for a while until irs just another spec of dirt on your shoulder. But, on a more important note, may I please have entry to the Silver Rush?"

I feel a lot more at ease after his encouraging words made the tension simmer down within me. "S-Sure you may," I stammered a bit, though still a little on the nervous side. "but I am going to have to ask if you wish to submit a weapons check."

Lawrence held up his arms and stayed up to form a line. "If you may, Ms...?"

"Crimson." I introduced, placing my hands on his sides and did what Simon did when he patted me down earlier. "Hmm," as soon as I got the legs down, I have not felt anything on hm. "he is clear to enter."

"Excellent job, rookie!" Simon complimented. "Well, seems like you've got the hang of this after your first two attempts." He turned to the customer. "You may enter, Mr. Lawrence. Good to be doing business with you, friend."

Lawrence nod his head, raised his hand up and made it look like he is grabbing the brim of an imaginary hat. "Likewise, my friend." He then looked directly at me. "Good luck on your duty to protect this story, Ms. Crimson." He walked passed me towards the double doors behind me and Simon.

"Well, well, rookie." Simon spoke up, catching my attention to him. "Or, maybe O shouldn't be calling you a rookie at all since you seem to be a natural at this. If my previous partners were like you, I wouldn't feel alone in this spot. Hell, I could share my amount of payment with my coworker."

"Speaking of coworker, Jean-Baptiste mentioned that you wouldn't want to deal with the consequences your previous coworker went through." I said, figure I would bring up the question since he has been working over here for so long. "What happened to them?"

"Oh, excuse me, you two." M and Simon turned our faces forward to a guy with a long, tan trench coat and a tan hat, waiting a few feet from us. "I have a small .32 pistol on me and I want to trade it with a better weapon inside."

"If you wish to submit a weapons check," I clarified the the guy. "we will let you in."

He started to laugh in a not-so-jokingly way. "Now, hold on a second, ma'am. I have said I have a small gun on me. Why would I need a weapons check?"

I glared right at him. "Sir, Silver Rush rules insist that we must ask every customer to submit to a weapons check before entry. If they wish to refuse, they are denied entry. Now, may we please check you for weapons?"

The guy chuckled again. "Y-You have g-got to be kidding me!" He chuckled louder. "Such stupid rules for a store like that even though I told you I have a small weapon on me!" He continued laughing until he made one quick movement with his left hand, but was short-lived when an orb of green light shot right at him. The guy turned into nothing but a huge puddle of goo.

"Damn, just what I was afraid of..." Simon walked towards the puddle as he put his weapon in hs pouch on his back. "We need to find a way to clean this mess up before Jean-Baptiste comes here.'

"Ah, let 'im see the evidence." Some voice echoed through the alleyway. A tall, pale skinned guy with a black jacket, stripped under shirt, blue pants, and black shoes along with a neatly sweptback hair style and cigarette in his fingers come walking over to us. "Yo, Simon boy!" He took a big puff of smoke before blowing it in the air to his left.

"Pacer, now's not the time for stupid shit here." Simon barked at him. Something tells me these two don't get along quite well...


	47. Chapter 46 - Tensions

**_-Birds of a Feather Pt. 2-_**

I rest my borrowed laser rifle against my right shoulder while I watched the guy who Simon called Pacer come walking with the half finished cigarette between his fingers. As he took another inhale as he eyed the glowing puddle just a yard from him. "My, my, Simon boy," Pacer spoke as the nicotine fumes escaped his lips. "decide to make another would-be customer of yours into an ectoplasm substance?"

Simon released a warning groan under his throat while trying to pick up the noticeable evidence on the ground. "If I wasn't on the clock right now or have my hands tied from Mr. Jean-Baptiste Cutting, I would've given you the same fate as this person who tried to harm my partner. But, since you _are _the King's right hand man it makes things hard for me to knock your ass out into next week."

"Aw, don't be such a sourpuss, man. Just wanted to say hello to my _favorite _Silver Rush body guard." Pacer chuckled, inhaling one last puff of smoke before flicking it at my direction, hitting the filter right at my upper torso. "Oops? Sorry if I seem to have tossed my litter to your new recruit. I guess I didn't notice there was no trash can around here."

Now I let out a loud growl at him, making me clench my borrowed laser rifle tightly in my right hand.. "Yeah, for someone who wish to have an early death wish," I slung my laser rifle down towards my other hand. "you sure know how to make an entrance towards it."

"Easy there, Crimson." Simon stood up and geld an arm out at me. "We don't need any hostile activity happening here if you don't want the Kings running over here with their guns pointing at our heads."

"Kings?" I pulled an eyebrow down at Simon. "Who are the Kings?"

"Wh-What!?" Pacer choked. "Who are The Kings you asked!?" He turned his head towards Simon's direction. "Can you believe this asshole, man!? I think she needs a history lesson about who the King is." He turned his head back to me. "In Freeside, the King himself rules this area. And the King rules the Kings, got it, bitch?"

What Pacer just said about my curiosity pulled a massive nerve on me. I took a step forward when the same arm of Simon's stopped me from advancing any further to the bastard. "Look Pacer, Crimson here is new to Freeside. Make her feel welcome instead of spatting threats and nonsense at anyone you lay your eyes at. Besides, why are you here anyways, can't you see me and the courier are working here?"

"Courier, you say?" Pacer glared his brown eyes at me. "The lowly courier taking up the body guarding service with the Van Graffs? I was just wondering if the boss lady is in today?" A small, low toned chuckled echoed from his neck.

Simon blew a harshly exhale through his closed lips. "You know she is." I noticed how his tone got a bit more aggravated. "Why not do a favor and go in there while you say hi to her?"

"Naw, man." Pacer chuckled again. "I've got some rounds to run. Make sure you do pass along the message that I am always thinking of her." He moved his dark eyed at me. "Actually, why not have the new hire deliver the message to Ms. Gloria. This Crimson gal is the courier, right?"

I let off an apathetic groan at the literal statement. "Yeah..." I trailed the word for a good few seconds with a side of sarcasm. "Welcome to Crimson's Courier Service! I am obliged to send you your message unless some fink decide to ambush me and left me dead for two days! How may I help you today!?" I heard Simon's convulsed laughter echoed in the alleyway.

"You better watch your mouth, Crimson bitch!" Pacer jabbed his finger right at my padded armor. "This tough guy in front of you ain't the one you should mess with around this part of Freeside. I hope my Gloria would keep an even tighter leash on you while you're working here with Simon boy!"

"Your Gloria!?" Simon yelled. "No fucking way would Gloria ever want you near her line of sight as long as you live!"

Pacer grabbed a small box, flipped opened the top as he brought out one of the cigarettes from it and prop it onto his lips. "I beg to differ." He chuckled, using some some lighter that has the same metallic sheen and form as the one I got from Jessup back at Boulder City, which belong to Benny. "What you don't know, Simon, is that me and my Gloria has this kind of connection...well, this kind of sexual tension is too complicated for the both of you idiots to understand."

"Sexual tension?" I raised an eyebrow.

Pacer snapped his head at me, blowing a long, jet stream of smoke right at me. "Man, have you been living under a rock or you might have the intelligence of one, either way you're fucking dumber than those NCR goons roaming around New Vegas!" He took another quick puff. "You'll never truly comprehend how one man's fantasies about some specific woman in his mind would make his testosterone levels blow up through the charts. In massive amount, if you know what I mean." He gave me a small wink with his left eye.

I feel like I want to vomit whatever is left within the pit of my intestines. "Why not calm the excitement and blow someone else's when you have time to spare in those filthy hands of yours?"

"Crimson, did you just-!? Holy fuck, you just did not-!" Simon gasped. "Man, you got yourself a pair of balls for what you just said, despite being a woman. Hell, even I don't have the guts like you to say that directly at him, working here or not."

Pacer's eyes grew as wide as the Platinum Chip buried in my memory. "Well, well. We got a wise ass over here. Or maybe a wise bitch around town. I really do hate wise asses, and everyone around here knows I have a huge pet peeve of wise asses, in which you Crimson gal are now on my list of people I don't tolerate." He spit out his half finished cigarette at my feet.

I trails the lit stick down near the tips of my boots just until I felt a hard hit against the right side of my face, causing me to unlatch the laser rifle from my right hand. "What the fuck, Pacer!?" Simon bellowed, felt his hands grabbing a hold of my shoulders moments before I hit my head against the gravel. "Why are you doing this!?"

"Teaching her a piece of my mind, that's why!" Pacer barked at my partner, hearing a few popping sounds from behind me.

I placed my hands on Simon's shoulders, pushing myself away from him. "Ouch..." Never expected to be punched my someone like Pacer. I dug my index finger into my mouth for a bit, brought it out to see some blood on the fingertip. "Well, I'll definitely remember that next time I see you Pacer. Soon, I'll repay you with one of my own." I turn right at the guy.

The King's member gave off a chuckle. "Like you can ever hit me with those skinny arms of yours. I heard a chem addict has more strength and a better body build than you, courier."

"Pacer!" I turned my head to the same three people I saw at the entrance gates. "Boss needs you immediately. He says you have a few things that needs to be done here."

Pacer nod at the three and adjusted his jet black jacket. "Catch ya on the flip side, Crimson gal! Or when you least expect it." He walked along with the the other three men back towards the main road through the alleyway. Pacer took one quick glance at me over his shoulder, twitching his bushy brow up a few times before his disappeared within my sight.

"Oh, I will." I mumbled to myself. "One way or another..."

"I'm sorry about Pacer, Crimson." I turned to avert my attention to the apologetic coworker. "Pacer is a troublemaker in Freeside, and the right hand man of the leader of the gang called The Kings. Hell, he would do anything to make sure everything goes his way ny any means necessary."

I used the back of my hand to wipe off what small amount of blood was on the corner of my lip. "I kind of tell when he flicked that cigarette filter at me on purpose. I guess I need to keep an eye on him whenever I am traveling around this slum town." I saw Simon handing me the laser rifle. "Thanks." I generously take it off of his hand.

"Yeah, a very close eye if I were you." Simon suggested. "The Kings are not one to mess with all over this place. You mess with one, you take on many and die if you're not prepared. Pacer, mostly, has a knack of making trouble. I always call him the Freeside Snitch."

I huffed out a large one, resting my laser rifle on my shoulder. "Glad my traveling companion Craig was not here to see Pacer punching me. Things would end up worse than just a simple punch to the face."

Simon nod. "Amen to that, Crimson, amen."

I took a look at my Pip Boy to find the time. "Been about thirty minutes since we've worked, it's now 12:15 pm."

"Hey, I think it's break time right now." Simon announced. "I got a couple of bottled waters and crispy potato chips in one of my cases. Though, I have to warn you that the snack has a bit of a pungent aftertaste." He reached down to a small, green box near the stairs and opened it, digging his hand in the box for two small bags of chips and water bottles. "We got five minutes to chat."

Taking both contents from my coworker's hand, I gave him an agreeing nod. "Hey, five minutes is all we need to shrug off what had happened from that Pacer guy. Hopefully he'll blow off some else's problem to satisfy himself." At that moment, both me and Simon enjoyed a nice laugh from my little stale humor while chowing down on some stale chips.

* * *

_-Craig-_

"227...228...229...230...231..." I huffed each time I pushed myself off the floor with just my left arm. Ever since Crimson has took the job of working with people at the Silver Rush, not only it gives me free space to do what I want to do but it got me a reason to push myself to the limit if the courier were to ever be in danger. "239...240...241..." My left arm doesn't feel like it was about to give out any time soon. I guess all that training back at Camp McCarran sure paid off. "249...250!" I stopped and sat my ass on the floor, grabbing my cloth to dry off some sweat beads from my forehead.

"V, don' you dare break m' leg!" I heard the bounty hunter yell through the thick walls.

"What, all I wanted to do is take it apart and see how this prosthetic leg works!" The raggedy garb wearing woman shout back. Sounds like she has a hold of the hunter's replacement leg he received back at the camp

"No, no, no, no, no!" The hunter yelled until a loud crash sound occurred. "What in th' cazadore's thorax did ya do that fer, V!?"

"Don't worry, tiny." Brotherhood reassured. "I can put this back together with my eyes closed."

"Stop callin' m' tiny!" Hunter argued.

I chuckled to myself, wishing that could be me fucking around with the scumbag's replacement leg he received from the camp. After I manage to wipe down the small sweat droplets from my bare torso, I figure a nice rest on the bed would help me recharge myself. But something else happened to pop up in my mind just as I plopped and lie myself down on the soft, Pre-War blankets. "I wonder if she is done yet..." I looked up at the ceiling fan with both my brows pushed down, moving my arms up to rest my head on both my hands.

_I just wish I can express myself without hurting someone..._ The worrisome words Crimson breathed out earlier this morning brought a lot of questions in my head. But, then again, I am the same way due to being married by someone else who had been deceased for so long.

"I'm the same way..." I said to the imaginary courier in front of me, or somewhere near my boundaries. Fuck, I rather let her be near me than anyone else she and I have been traveling. But why Crimson, the lowly, radio celebrity courier with amnesia, happened to be in my thoughts alone instead of Carla? I have never felt anything like this before that Legion bastard took my wife.

And I'm sure as fuck would not let him take my Crimson out of my sight as long as I remain alive in the Mojave.

"My Crimson..." Those two words, that unexpectedly barged into my mind, that I whispered made my heart rate quickened. This is also another strange thing that is happening to me since before Carla got pregnant. But this is not about Carla, no. This is far more different than a pompous woman who use to live in a lap of luxury.

_Seems like we already have something we are fighting over. _The Legion recruit's voice echoed in my mind. _Soon I will take the courier and make her my mate._

"Not if this brute grizzly got anything to say." I growled, feeling like the animal I was while I was serving the military. No fucking bull with a skirt is going to trample me down with his hooves and have his fucking way with Crimson. Just imagining Crimson being in the most harshest situation I've ever known made me cringe. "I won't let something innocent like her have her soul be tainted by the hands of the Legion."

_Claim her..._

"I can't..." I murmured at my inner beast, my inner persona that's been formed ever since that night in Novac. Twice it has taken over me while I was alone with the courier, and twice it almost got to the brink of releasing myself at her. Last time I felt like this was with Carla, but now the hunger has intensified ten-fold because of Crimson.

_Have her..._

_I wish..._I swallowed hard, feeling my face burning as the arousing feeling began to resurface after my little move with Crimson that left her in a submissive state earlier. Fuck, even seeing her face after I used one of my mind-breaking tactics on her sure got me up. Just one day...one day, maybe I can find a way to tame my inner persona and the sexual tension I've been having so since day one.

_Devour her..._

"No...I don't want this!" Even with my nether region at its highest peak, now it's fucking hard to keep myself under control now that the courier is swarming in my mind. I need a way to relieve myself, or maybe keep myself from harming her, before things turn out for the worse. I pulled my right hand off from behind my head and trail it down my sic-pack. I hope a little quick release will help me clear my mind.

"Do you need any help?" I sat up straight to see the Follower of the Apocalypse member standing with the door halfway open, eyeing down at my hand nearly inches into my dark brown bottoms. "Looks like you have a..._huge _problem to settle?"

I felt my face burning to a third degree burn after witnessing him seeing the current state I am in. "Get out! Get the fuck out of here!" I yelled at him, using both my legs to hide my problem.. "I specifically told everyone to keep away from me while I am alone here!"

He didn't budge, except letting himself in and closing the door, heading the clicking sound from the lock on the knob. "Really?" he walked over to me, shoved me back down to the bed with one of his arms.

"I told you to get out!" I yelled at the doc, only to see a wicked grin, possibly a hungry one knowing my memory while fighting against that damn Legion bastard with his eyes on Crimson. "W-What are you doing, you fucking sick bastard!?"

I didn't get a single reply out of the vile doctor, only to have his hand move slowly down my torso. Furious at the gesture, I used one of my combat boots and shoved him back against the door. He caught himself with his hands, eyeing back at me through those black framed glasses that I would wish to break off. "I'm offering you some help, Mr. Soldier. About your deprivation that you told Ms. Courier about."

I growled as a warning at him, using what little strength I have in my quivering arms from all the pushups I did to lift myself up, seeing the doctor ten feet from me. "Get out of my fucking business, doc! I knew having you tag along with us was not a good idea the first time you decide to swoon me to you in front of Crimson."

"And did that little episode you supposedly stop manage to clear your mind away from Ms. Courier?" The doctor fold his arms over his torso.

Now that I think of it, I am beginning to calm down now despite having another male touched me uninvited. That really did help out a lot, in an irritating and cringing way. "Yeah, but that doesn't give you the fucking reason to barge into this room without knocking first and attack me!"

"And what," the doctor pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. "let your internal instincts consume your wellbeing, making you into a sex-crazed monster like the Legion and rape an innocent bystander? Or, in your eyes, little Ms. Courier?"

I clenched my teeth and growled at him. "Like I'll ever have the same mind as those pansies, nor that one Legion with a vengeance. And I am sure as fuck I won't hurt Crimson, not n a million years while I am still standing on my feet. It's just," I trailed off, clenching the blankets near my lower body. "it's just something about her that drives me up the wall."

"Seems like the cold, brute 1st Recon sniper has a soft spot for the innocent courier, am I wrong?" Arcade teased.

"Shut your fucking mouth, doc!" I yelled at him. "I do not have a soft spot for that brainless delivery woman!"

The doctor shook his head a few times as he frowned. "Not what I witnessed in silence. After how you driven Ms. Courier into a submissive state that left her just at the most vulnerable moment, you had that one chance to take her purity." He groaned to himself. "As if she has any..." I heard him murmur to himself before clearing his throat. "Instead, you push yourself away from her and left her on the bed, confused as a inebriated wastelander with no recollection to what he was doing."

A harsh sigh escaped my lungs at the doctor in front of me. "I couldn't seem to contain my inner sanity much longer. Ever since I travelled with her, I've...changed. And it is completely weird for me to feel like this to another woman."

The doctor kept quiet for a few seconds with his arms still crossed over his doctor's coat. "Hmmm, how long has it been since you've last had that...condition?" The doc Arcade asked.

It pains to let myself remember my past, but I have to let it out one way or another. "Nearly a year ago while I was settling down with my wife." I answered, resting my arms against my knees.

"And how long ago have you been feeling like that now that Ms. Courier is involved? Arcade asked again.

"A couple of nights ago." I answered again.

"Hmmm," Arcade remained still, eyeing at me with one blonde brow brought up. "look, Mr. Soldier. I may look like a regular doctor just by one glance at it, but you must know that I have excel in many subjects during my free time at the Old Mormon Fort. Psychology, the human body, the subconscious mind of a human's brain, numerous amounts of knowledge obtained through Pre-War books and magazines." He walked forward and stopped near a foot from me, towering me by a good four feet. "I can help with your condition, Mr. Soldier."

I looks up at him, pulling both my brows down to one line. "And how exactly are you going to do that?"

Arcade sighed, backing up a bit to bend his upper body down. "Let me tell you this. You and that subordinate of Caesar has an eye on Ms. Courier, right?" I just nod at his question. "Even though your instincts tell you to go after her, but all you do is stand around and do nothing while the other guy is already two steps ahead of you."

I flared up at him with the rage boiling within my blood. "What does that suppose to mean, doc!?" I murmured with my teeth grinding together.

"You're the Omega in the wolf pack." Arcade explained, now making me more ticked. "Crimson is just a wandering female wolf with nowhere else to go. Soon or later, you will be attacked by the Alpha wolf and be left in the dirt to see your enemy claim his prize. If you wish to become that Alpha and protect that courier, I think you're going to need my help from now on, if you care about her that much."

Metaphors. I fucking hate how the doctor had to sum up my situation with a simple metaphor. But if I am ever going to protect Crimson, I guess I have no other option but to receive help from the doc. "I'm listening."

The doctor pulled a smirk on his face. "Believe me, Mr. Soldier." He began. "I will try every way to tame the instincts raging within your subconscious, and help you in any way to fight for who you want to protect." His smile fade when he finished his sentence. "But in order to do that, you don't need to sleep with her from now on. That will make the tensions worse if not cared for. I suggest you come in the room I am renting and sleep there, that way your mind won't be in a pickle when it comes to sleeping with the opposite sex."

Though I like the doc's method for my little predicament, but the thought of leaving Crimson alone, by herself in this room, gives me a huge twitch on my back. "I don't know..." Great, now I am in a standstill.

"Tell you what," Arcade places both his hand on my bare shoulders. "Find a way within your frontal hemoglobin to at least express yourself to the young courier. If things go well, maybe there is a chance you can tame yourself. But, if Ms. Courier, being confused as ever, would reject the idea, or your captive animal within decides to make the move, you'll have to keep a good distance away from her and come to me for assistance. Sound fair?"

My eyes glazed at him, pained about where my sanity stands when it comes to Crimson. I just hope she will understand how I feel soon, or that Legion fuck will have the last laugh. "I'll try..." Defeated, a deep exhaled blew of of my lungs.

Arcade stood back up straight. "Take all the time you need to think about my solution to your problem until tonight." He turns around and made his way to the door. "If you care about her safety and her innocence, you need a break away from her if you don't want your inner sanity to harm her." He twist his head to have his left eye exposed at me. "If you really love her, you'll do every within your power to keep her out of harms way.." Unlocking the door, he opening it and let himself out before shutting it behind hm.

What am I going to do...I hate to even see a mental image of the Legion bastard claiming Crimson as his by force. Nor even want to think about laying a single bruise on her due to my tensions I've been building up all this time while traveling with her. "Crimson..." I breathed out her name, heading back to the floor to do more pushups.

"Oh, and one more thing, Mr. Soldier." The doctor peaked his head out of the door.

"What!?" I barked at him for interrupting my routine.

"Maybe if you decide to join with me in my private quarter," the doc spoke in a soothing and sultry voice. "we can do a little...teasing with different kinds o-"

I hopped up off the floor and shot him an intimidating glare. "Get the fuck out and leave me alone!"

The doc shot me a glare as well, pushing his glasses back up his face. "And wanted to let you know about cleaning up the sweat off yourself and the blankets." His head slipped back through the opening and closed it gently.

I looked back at the Pre-War linen with the long line of my sweat on the top part of the bed, not to mention forgetting about feeling the dirtiness all over my chest. "I'll make sure that doc pays." I'll clean up the bed sheets after I take my much needed shower. Hopefully the hot water won't give me any more of those provocative images in my mind.

* * *

"Thanks for stopping by, sir!" I called out, smiling as I held my laser rifle in my two hands. Many hours have passed by since I've been working with Simon near the Silver Rush, I have got the hang of this body guarding business. Not only that, Simon has been a great person to work with despite a few arguments about what weapon has the most accuracy or who can score the most customers during the work day. But other than that, we got along quite well.

"Well, that's the last of them." Simon called out, placing his plasma rifle on his armor's shoulder pad. "I have to say, that was one productive shift we pulled off without a hassle. My last coworker didn't pull this off like you did."

I laughed for a good few seconds. "Well, it was no big deal, really. Even though there were a few customers that would try to bribe their way for entry, not to mention one almost blowing up the business with a frag grenade," I pulled the laser rifle up with my right hand to my shoulder. "All in all, it was fun."

"Alright, you two." Jean-Baptiste called from behind us with the left door slightly opened. "It's closing time here, make sure you tidy up around this post and return what needs to be returned. Courier, Gloria will discuss about your pay once you come inside."

I gave Jean-Baptiste a nod yes. "Will do, sir." After seeing Jean-Baptiste entering back into the building, I gave the laser rifle back to Simon so he can put it in the case. "Well, it was fun while it lasted. I hope we can do this again tomorrow."

Simon kindly took my borrowed laser rifle, along with his weapon, and placed it in one of the cases before locking up with one of his keys. "I don't know, Crimson. Finding a suitable and reliable worker around the wasteland are pretty rare to find, even to Gloria. But I may vouch for you."

I opened my mouth slightly to show my gratitude to Simon until I heard the door from the Atomic Wrangler opened, seeing Craig closing it behind him and walking towards me. "Hey, Simon." I went back to my coworker. "Do you mind if I can talk to my friend for a moment before I go in yo see Gloria?"

Simon nodded. "Sure, but I would really hate to see the boss lady wait for too long. Don't dawdle for too long." He walked over to the double doors of the store, inviting himself in and left me out alone near them.

I saw Craig stopped a foot from me, somehow making my heart beat quicker. "H-Hey, Craig. Been a while since I last saw you." Just the nervousness alone made me scratch the back of my head.

"It has." He spoke softly. "Strange how after how long we've traveled from Novac, I seem to have become use to being beside you without pulling a nerve just because you are within my personal space."

Just by what Craig said made my face burned in a matter of seconds. "Well, I uhh..." Now I am having a little bit of trouble expressing myself to him. I'm all flustered all of a sudden. Great...

"Crimson," I turned to see Simon standing with the door slightly opened. "Gloria really needs you immediately."

"Coming." I eyed back at my sniper companion with a worried look before following Simon inside the Silver Rush building. I saw Gloria and Jean-Baptiste standing side by side in front of the metal gates. "Sorry, guys. I was talking to a friend o-"

"It's against store policy to have any outside interference such as your NCR friend while you are on the clock." Gloria enforced, making everything about me tense up. "But, since this is your first day, I'll let you slide for now. Just don't let that happened again."

"Y-Yes, ma'am." I stood at attention next to Simon.

Gloria cleared her throat. "Okay, Simon. Can you please give us the rundown of the courier's development through the shift?"

I see Simon nod at the corner of my right eye as he took a step forward. "Crimson here showed exceptional customer service while on duty with me. She made sure to oat down the customers if they wish yo enter the building, ward off of any hostile or out of shape drunkards off the premises. No show of any threats or hostility to the passerby wastelanders and was kind and courteous throughout the day."

"Outstanding." Gloria smiled. "Of course, I did have a few compliments about you, courier. They seem to have experienced a good welcoming atmosphere now that you've worked with us. But," I felt the mood disappeared instantly. "one of the other guards in here wish to fill in that spot since he has more experienced than you do. I'm afraid I'll have to let you go."

"WHAT!?" Simon yelled. "Gloria, please reconsider her! Yeah, she might be inexperienced with guarding the Silver Rush, but she was a natural after what had happened earlier today. I say we keep her in the business and let her earn her way up."

Gloria eyed her brother to her right. "What do you think, brother? You think the courier deserves to work with us?"

"Hmmm," Jean-Baptiste took a quick glance at me. "I think I have a very important mission for you to do tomorrow courier. And I will have Simon tag along with you during that time to make sure you do it right."

"What is it, sir?" Simon asked.

"I'll let you two know tomorrow morning." Jean answered, tossing me a small bag of caps ad my payment. "If you wish to become part of the Van Graff family, this mission I will instruct the both of you tomorrow will determined your loyalty to me and Gloria here. I advise you two to meet me here at nine o'clock and become prepared for a long journey in your hands. See you tomorrow.

"Yes, sir!" Simon and I shout in unison before turning around towards the exit. Simon opened up the door to let the both of us out as Craig waited near the foot of the stairs for me.

"You're done?" He asked, tapping his foot with his arms folded over his upper body.

I gave him a slight nod. "Yeah, Jean-Baptiste has a mission for me to do tomorrow with Simon. He won't say anything about it until tomorrow, so I might ad well hit the bed early if I wish to head back here on time."

"I'll come along with you to the Atomic Wrangler," Simon declared. "since we are in this together as coworkers. And I'll make sure I show no antagonistic nature towards the corporate enemies."

I smiled, turning my head back to Craig. "I am going to have to ask Veronica about something regarding my little predicament, so it might take a while for me to come back to the room and call it a night. I'll make sure not to disturb you if you're fast asleep."

"Thanks." Craig nodded, following me and Simon back to Atomic Wrangler. As we got inside, Arcade, Veronica, and Eric and sitting on a small table doing some more card games.

I walked up and around the table to meet Veronica. "Hey, Veronica. Can you do me a favor for a moment, if you don't mind?"

Veronica put her cards face down and stood up. "Sure, Crimson. What is it that you want? Your weapon fixing? Help with a relationship? Or maybe make fun of how tiny Dust Rag is!?" She let out a girlish giggle.

"Shuddup, V!" Eric yelled. "I ain't that tiny, it's j'st 'ard t' to at least make it better!" He stopped talking after that when his face flushed a few shades of red. "I need t' stop commentin' an' creatin' more innuendos..."

Veronica laughed out louder, bending over a bit to contain herself from falling over. "Oh, god, that is priceless!" After her little episode, she stood right back up and glared at me with a friendly smile. "So, what do you need?"

"Punch me." I said straightforward.

"Okay." She raised her left hand up without the Power Fist and connect it right at the right side of my jaw, knocking me down to the floor. "You sure that was a good idea to ask a highly experienced, unarmed traveler to punch your right at the face? Well, at least I didn't went all full force on your head, otherwise that would turn out deadly."

I got back up slowly and placed my hand on the area Veronica punched me. "No worries." Now I'm having a little trouble trying to get back to my feet.

"No worries!?" Craig yelled, towering over me with his face flaring up with rage. "Why in the fuck would you try something stupid like that if it would cost you your life!?"

Arcade cleared his throat loudly to get our attention. "If Ms. Courier wanted her companion to implant a bruise on her face, she has every right to do so. After all, it is a free wasteland."

"Doc." He glared back at Arcade. "Don't butt in!"

Arcade turned around after he place his cards faced down and stood up off the chair to greet him. "Have you decide what you wanted to do from now on?" Arcade shot a cold glance at me.

"No, but I need to talk to you for a moment." He answered, turning his head to me."I'll be right back." He said, walking with the doctor towards the stairs to the second floor.

_That's odd..._I thought, pushing my eyebrows into one line. I got up to my feet and eyed Veronica. "I'll tell you all about while we are doing this."

* * *

_-Craig-_

I lied flat on the bed as I wait for my courier companion to come out of the shower so I can have a chance to shave out the little fuzz that is growing out of my head. Luckily with my beret, it hid most of the hair on it. I saw the door to the restroom opened up with steam flowing out of it. "Finally," I groaned, getting myself off the bed and making my way to the bathroom. "what took you so long!?"

A long barrel appeared out of the steam and hit right at my forehead, revealing that vengeful Legion recruit with that sinister smile on his face. "Why, I claimed her, you Omega bitch!"

"What!?" I gasped, seeing the steam clearing up with a bloody mess everywhere on the bathroom walls and floor. And on the floor is Crimson, her face blank and several cut marks all over her exposed body. The scene was so horrific that I began to hyperventilate. "No!"

"And now it's your turn!" He chuckled before pulling the trigger.

I was lucky enough to evade the gun shot, but I can only see the darkness around me while staring at the ceiling with my back on the bed again, breathing heavily at a rapid pace. _A dream!? _I didn't take one moment to get myself back to reality, my mind was more focused on Crimson. I got up quickly and head towards the restroom, opening it quickly to have a straight, right hook connect to my face. "H-Holy fuck..." Who punched me down to the floor!?

"Craig!" Crimson's voice echoed from the bathroom when a couple of hands grabbed my upper arms. "I'm so, so, so sorry, Craig! I didn't expect to punch you that hard!"

Crimson punched me!? "Well, that's a first..." I opened my eyes at the face of the courier just inches from me, sitting on her legs between my V formation legs, with one lying on the carpet and the other up. Just seeing her alive and not full of deep cuts is enough proof for me to relieve myself from the high tensions within me. "Never expect you to give me a good right hook." I chuckled a little.

I notice some redness appearing on her complexion, surely I made her a bit flattered. "Sorry, I was taught by Veronica how to punch hard. But I am still trying to get the hang of it without breaking my wrist. But, I'm more worried about your face getting swollen."

I chuckled some more. "I've dealt worse, Crimson. Far more worse than you can imagine during my time in the military. You're little act is just a small gecko bite compared to my huge, Deathclaw punches."

"Oh, thanks a lot for ruining my ego, Craig!" She punched my shoulder, which happened to be a small tap to me. I heard a small giggle coming from her that exceeded into a laugh. I couldn't help but to laugh along with her.

For the first time in a long time I enjoyed a good laugh with someone who I trust a lot. Inside my soulless shell lies the growing warmth I've longed for, the feelings reoccurring drastically now that this clueless courier has entered into my life. But, maybe for once, I can show her how I feel. "Crimson, can you look closely at my lips to see if they are swollen?"

"O-Okay..." I heard her gulp, leaning forward to get a closer look at me. "I don't see anything. Maybe I am not looking hard enough." She touched my lower lip carefully with her left, petite fingers.

It was a lie. Crimson's punch isn't that hard enough to land even a tiny bruise on me. But that does not stop me from leaning forward and softly connect my lips against hers. Even if she has amnesia, I want to show her how much I felt during this past week. _Crimson..._

"Mm?" She squeaked, but I don't feel a hint of resistance from her while our faces are still one. The passion rose while the heat intensify while this little moment lingered for a good ten seconds. If I can just have one second of her time to claim her before that Legion guy does, I'll prove to him that I will be the Alpha.

_Stop! _I screamed in my head just as the inner animal in me was about to take over.

Slowly parting my face away from hers, I gazed into glowing face illuminating from the bottle cap necklace's blue star along with her shimmering, sky blue eyes. "Crimson..." I whispered her name.

"Craig?" Her blushing, yet perplexing expression on her face gave me a hint that she was a bit confused at my move. "I-I...W-What...Why did you do that?"

Either I am more at eased now that I have stopped myself from making things worse, or pained to know that her confusion about that kiss made the mood drastically decreased. Though, I'm leaning towards the pained part. "Just..." I can't tell her, I just can't. "Just need to make sure I am awake and back to reality because of my nightmare." Now my face began to burn from the embarrass blush.

"I..." I looked up to her looking away from me, but I used my hand to avoid her from talking any further.

"I need some time alone..." I got up off the carpet and walked towards the door, feeling my chest experiencing the worse possible pain I can ever endure. I walked through the second story floor over to the doctor's room. If I am ever going to avoid any harm to Crimson, I am going to need some serious treatment from the doc. Not because I care about her.

Because I love her...


	48. Chapter 47 - A New Side of Me

**_-Birds of a Feather Pt. 3-_**

"Crimson," Craig spoke softly at me. "can you look closely at my lips to see if they are swollen?"

_Huh!? _I don't know why Craig would want me to check if I have done some damage to his face. "O-Okay..." I stammered, swallowing a nervous lump in my throat while leaning towards the NCR sniper while my heart wants to burst out of my chest. I looked at his lower lip, yet I don't see anything on it. "I don't see anything." I said to him. "Maybe I am not looking hard enough. "I lift my hand up and pressed my fingers against his lips to feel any bumps on it. Just before I was about to give my prognosis, Craig slowly moved his head forward and did the same maneuver he did yesterday.

_"_Mm?" A sound echoed off my throat, confused as to why Craig would do this kiss thing to me when he is married to someone else. But, I feel no aggression from this, something different than that. That's when I see another memory clip of two unknown people doing the same thing Craig and I are doing, but with a little something...more.

Next thing I know, I felt his lips moving against mine in a gentle motion, creating this new atmosphere that I have no idea what it is. Something about me just made my eyes closed shut and moved on it's own, as if my whole state of mind had no control at all. Everything intensified, I was being lured, this 'hunger' building within myself is screaming at me to have more, to experience something more. But there is one thing that stopped me from becoming that different person: his marriage.

_This is not right..._

After nearly ten seconds of that moment went by when Craig parted his face away from mine. "Crimson..." The tone of his voice changed dramatically as his eyes are locked directly at mine as soon as I reopened them.

Now I am really confused about this. "Craig?" I breathed, trying to maintain my whole wellbeing before I pass out. "I-I..." I wish I can figure the right words to say, but that kiss he made clouded my mind up. "W-What...Why did you do that?"

I noticed how Craig's facial features changed in an instant. "Just..." His face even turned to a bright red through what darkness there is in the room. "Just need to make sure I am awake and back to reality because of my nightmares."

_Nightmares? _Is that why Craig have been acting so strange lately? Feeling really remorseful about his pain, I turned to the side to avoid him looking at my apologetic face. "I..." I wanted to at least comfort him in any way without breaking him, but it was short lived once Craig put his hand over my mouth, preventing me from talking any further.

"I just need some time for myself." He released his hand from my face and got up off the floor, walking away from me towards the door. He didn't look back at me, not even once, while shutting the door behind him.

I felt a horrible feeling bursting through my chest, like someone grabbing my hunting knife and stabbing right through the median. That kiss...the connection me and that brute soldier of the powerhouse faction made, I feel highly awkward just thinking about it. Fuck, I can still feel the softness on my lips. "Craig...what were you really trying to say?" I got up, walking to the bathroom to shut the light off and the door shut before making my way under the covers.

_What is wrong with me..._I thought, burying myself underneath the covers as my eyes began to burn. The sudden change of myself while I was with my companion brought out a lot of questions, mostly about myself. The torn feeling inside me grew to an agonizing sensation in my rib cage. All I wanted to do, and the reason why I am still alive to this day, is plague my vengeance against Benny at The Tops casino, plus the other reason why I am traveling and doing all this shit for everyone. But, now a new subject at hand have left me in a bitter conflict: My ever-growing feelings for Craig, whom I am having a hard time expressing myself to because of his marriage with his dead wife.

The next thing I know, I fell into a deep sleep and somehow appeared right in front of the Silver Rush entrance. _Huh? _I looked around the desolate alleyway around me, hearing nothing but my frantic breathing and scuffling from my boots.

_"What's the point in being here?" _I heard Craig's depressive voice that trailed off from the roof of the Atomic Wrangler. _"Who knew you would be part of the Legion!" _I saw some kind of rope being wrapped around his neck.

_Wait, what are you talking about!? _My voice echoed, but I don't feel my lips moving when I spoke. I tried making a run for it to save Craig from killing himself only to feel some tight tugging on my left ankle. _O-Oh no..._ I gasped, turning my head at Craig taking a plunge down with the rope still on his neck until a loud and gut retching snapping sound occurred.

"NO!" I have my arm stretched out in front of me with my breathing at a rapid pace as I notice myself in a sitting position on the bed, eyeing the door in the morning filled room. "A dream!?" I breathed, letting my upper body fall back onto the bed with my head on the soft pillow. I don't know whether I should feel worried or relieved after what I had experienced, either way it was a fucking horrible way to start my morning.

_I just need some time for myself. _Fuck, I don't know why my chest is starting to hurt after remembering those words Craig said last night after he kissed me, but I guess I have no choice but to accept his wishes for now. Though, I wish I can figure out what he was trying to say.

And that kiss Craig gave me...it was unlike that time a few days ago when he forced his way onto my lips to avoid me from screaming for help. Well, he was intoxicated and can barely stand for two seconds tops. That little connection made my mind shut off and my body moving on it's own. I wish I can figure out the right word to that moment if Benny hadn't shot me and left me to wander the wastes with an empty memory. "Craig..." I moved my right and up and lightly touched my lower lip, somehow still feeling the soft touch Craig made.

"Crimson!"

I feel like I was about to go into convulsions from my coworker's voice. I lift my head up at Simon appearing near the open doorway. "Are you going to get ready? We only got thirty minutes before we meet up with Jean-Baptiste across the street."

I moaned grudgingly, getting myself up to a sitting position with my legs still underneath the covers, a massive wave of confusion enveloped inside of myself while I stared directly at my coworker. Good thing Simon snapped me out of my trance, otherwise I would be a waking, mindless ghoul in the wastes. "H-Huh!? O-Okay, thanks for reminding me."

"You sure you're okay, rookie?" Simon formed a worried expression through his dark skin tone. He has been calling me rookie on and off ever since I've worked with him as a bodyguard near the Silver Rush doors. In fact, I don't mind him calling me that one bit. "I can at least tell Jean-Baptiste to hold off for another hour until you are well enough to get moving."

I lowered my brows and groaned. "I'm fine, Simon." I lied a little. "Just staring off to space, that's all. I'll make sure to get myself ready, it'll only take a few minutes for me to get the necessary equi-"

"Excuse me, coming through." I got interrupted by one familiar voice I wish I haven't heard first thing in the morning. Simon swung the door wider for the doctor Arcade to enter, holding some kind of leather armor that resembles the one Craig was wearing. "Mr. Soldier wants me to deliver his former leather attire to Ms. Courier, as he wishes not to keep any longer due to the...tightness." He stretched his arms forward with the folded armor in his hands.

"Umm..." I pushed my brows together, perplexed about this sudden event. "Thanks? But why couldn't Craig deliver this himself!?"

Arcade groaned, pushing his thick framed glasses up his nose. "He wishes to remain in solitude for right now as there are some certain predicaments that are basically too problematic for you to comprehend with that empty brain of yours." He turned around slowly to the open doorway. "Make haste and don't waste, the time is ticking if you wish to consult with your higher authorities in the Silver Rush." He walked forward, grabbing the doorknob to his left and closed the door behind him.

I placed my new armor on my lap and eyed the leather texture imprinted on the breast plate. But, something about this seems awfully familiar. "Huh?" I pulled my eyebrows down just before a little sharp pain throbbed near my scar. Next thing I know, I am in the same sitting position like I am in right now, except I am outside and on my lap was not the leather armor, but the same armor the Legion is wearing.

_Are you going to wear that? _I heard the voice of what seem to be Corwin's, though I snapped back into reality just before I can ge a quick glimpse at him. But having Corwin in my memories is not what's shocking unlike the first time I've experienced it in Nelson, it's the memory of the Legion armor resting on my lap.

"Am..." I whimpered. "Am I part of the Legion!?" I kept my voice low to avoid any oncoming conflict if anyone were to hear about my sudden discovery. But, it's not my traveling companions I'm concerned about. It's Craig.

"Crimson?" I lift my head up at my beret wearing companion standing with the door opened, eyeing me a painful look in his eyes. I had to say his name in my mind... "I just wanted to apologize for what I did last night. I guess my mind was not functioning right after having that nightmare about you." I noticed his eyes narrowed down just a centimeter. "Figure you would need that armor more than I do. I can't stand how uncomfortable and unbearably annoying the tightness against the leather texture is."

I don't know if I should tell him about what I have discovered after eyeing the leather armor on my lap. But then again, because of his eternal, bitter hatred on the Legion, I don't want one of his bullets to be in my head. "Thanks..." I clutched onto the attire, seeing Craig taking a step forward from. "D-Don't come near me!" I hissed at him out of nowhere.

Craig stopped and stared. "Why's that?"

"I-I..." I stuttered a little. "I-I'm not decent..." I had to lie to him so I can avoid blurting out the news to avoid a pool of my blood spill all over the bed sheets.

"Bullshit..." The NCR soldier continued walking forward, ignoring my pleas and warnings as he sat down on the bed to the right of me. "Something is bothering you, and I know that because of the way the tone of your voice sound. Tell me."

I lowers my head so my face pointed at the direction where my new armor is. "Well..." Here it goes. "I-"

"GUESS WHO'S BIRTHDAY IS TODAY!?" Me and Craig turned to Veronica barging through the door holding some colorful looking cone with a string on two sides in her left hand. She ran up to Craig, batting his 1st Recon beret off his shaved head and placed the cone in place of it. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" She cheered. "WHOEVER KNEW IT WOULD BE THIS HULK'S BIRTHDAY!"

I had to raise an eyebrow up high. "Okay, what is going o-"

"Did that fucking doctor told you!?" Craig yelled at Veronica. "I told him to never mention this to anyone!" He yanked the cone shape headwear off and put his beret back in place of it. "Fucking quack, why would he fucking do that to me..."

"Oh, I can hear you through those thin walls, hulk." Veronica waved her hand while giggling. "But, come on. A simple, special day of the year wouldn't hurt that much if all of us celebrates with you!" She made a sharp gasp. "I got to notify everyone!" She ran towards the door.

"Don't you fu-" Craig tried to stop Veronica from telling everyone else in our group, but Veronica already slammed the door on her way out. Craig fell on his back on top of my legs and placed a have over his eyes. "Surely, you can't be serious..." He groaned.

"I am serious," Veronica popped her head through the slightly open doorway. "and don't call me Surely!" She disappeared again and closed the door.

Craig groaned once again, turning his head at my direction. "I shouldn't have said about today to that damn doctor. I was about to tell you about today myself, but because that doctor took a look at my NCR dog tag I've been traveling with as a keepsake, he wouldn't fucking shut up about it."

"I-I'm sorry, Craig," I spoke, confusion written all over my face. "but...what is a birthday?"

I heard him exhale out of his nose. "It's the one day of the year where you celebrate the day of your birth. Today...I'm turning 26." He pushed himself up and leaned forward with both his shoulders testing on his thighs. "I never wanted to celebrate my birthday, nor even want anyone near me when that day comes. All because of my parents."

"Umm," I felt my face turning red for a second. "can you please leave for a moment while I get changed? I need to ready to see Jean-Baptiste with Simon in discussion of my mission.

"I rather not..." He growled. "I don't want anyone to make a jump on me once I step out of this room white they try to put a birthday hat on my head." He turned to me. "I'll lock the door, and promised to look the other way and not take of peek of you changing. Sound fair?"

Overcome by the thought of what Craig had said, I moved my legs from out of the covers and touched the cold carpet beneath. "Fine...just keep a safe distance from me."

Craig nod, getting off of the bed and head for the door. "I didn't have much of a birthday throughout my life because of my parents. My father mostly gone in the military like I had, my mom constantly going out and always bringing back different men just to satisfy that so called _void _because of my father's absence." He twist the door lock to a horizontal form, leaning against the wall with his back towards me. "My mother was a deadbeat from the get-go, always telling my father lies that she had been faithful while he was stationed elsewhere than here. Even my mom would threatened me a lot if I were to ever tell her what really happened, reason to why I have trouble opening up to others."

I took out my old pair of pants and replaced them with the new pair. "Really?" I asked, taking the white top off of me that now exposes my bare upper body, also taking a peek at Craig to make sure he wasn't looking at my direction. "So, your father was in the military, too? Was he in the sniper division like you are?" I slipped both my arms in the one long and one short sleeved top before poking my head through the top opening, bringing it down to cover my torso all the way to my waist. "Okay, you can turn around."

"He was," Craig continued and turned around as told, but only looked at the carpet. "served about five years until he rose up the ranks to a general by the president years ago during his mid 20s. I was damn proud to have a father like him, hell he was there when he fought against the Enclave years before I was just a spec of fluids running down my mother's leg." He chuckled at what appeared to be a joke, but to me I didn't get it one bit.

"Enclave?" I spoke while holding onto the leather padding for my torso.

"They're a powerful bunch, the Enclave." Craig continued on. "My father use to tell me stories about them while he was on a short leave from duty. If only he would stayed longer to help with my abandonment problems with my mother. But..." I noticed his hands balled up into fists. "he found out about my mom's infidelity one day when he got home early from filling forms to go back to Camp McCarran, became a heavy binge drinker and died after drowning in his own vomit."

I never knew Craig's childhood could be a lot more worse than dealing with the mercy killing of his wife. I, for one, can't even recall one damn thing about my family or where I have come from, or if I even have a family to begin with. "Must've been tough to deal with that kind of history along with..." I stopped right there, forcing myself to stop from even mentioning his wife Carla and his unborn child. "I'm sorry..." I whispered.

"You don't have to..." Craig murmured once he got off of the door. "What happens happened, no turning back the Pre-War clock or rewriting history just to make others happy or what not." He walked to me with his hands dug into his pants pocket. "And I'll be damned or killed if anything like that were to happen right now," he stopped just a foot from me. "even with you by my side."

I shot a glare at him. "What do you mean?" I got the padded leather on me, but I am now having a hard time trying to strap the belts on firmly on my back. Good thing Craig is here, I turned my back to him and showed him the loose belts on my back.

"My mom end up prostituting herself a month after my dad died. She always tells me not to become what my father was." He tightened up one of the belts on me, just enough for me to easily breath into. "Once I began signing up for the military, she would hit me with hard objects like a 9 iron, a baseball bat, even a lead pipe just so I can stay and never leave her side if I end up getting injured. All because of her abandonment issues imprinted in her mind, she decides to do some chems to make herself _feel better_." He chuckled just as soon as he got the last two belt straps done. "That all changed in an instant."

I reached for the two, long belts on the neatly straightened sheets next to me and fastened then on my waist. "What happened to your mother?"

"I poisoned her." Craig's voice turned dark and spine chilling, making me quietlytake a gulp. "I managed to find a dead Cazadore lying around on the ground, and the poison on its stinger has a high potency to kill a hundred men in a matter of seconds. All I did was took one small tea spoon of it, stir it in with her usual drink: The Atomic Cocktail," he chuckled some more. "let's just say it was a slow and painful death." I felt his breath tickling my left ear. I could've sworn my heart was about to burst out of my chest when he did that. "Now," his lips moved against the edge. "if I were to do it to that Legion bastard who has his eyes on you, I'll show him who the alpha is." I felt his lips tracing down from the back of my ear to the nape of my neck, having his arms wrapped around my shoulders.

"S-Stop..." My voice was not loud enough to stop Craig from doing what he did yesterday before I got dressed in the Van Graff armor. I can't let this go on any further. "STOP!" I managed to save enough strength in myself to push the brute away from me. Heart rapidly tapping against my chest, fearing for my life, the list goes on. "You need to leave..." I said with my head looking away from him.

"Crimson?" Craig spoke, but I wouldn't want to make eye contact with him.

"Just go!" I barked at him, hugging myself while hearing Craig's scuffing sounds against the carpet before the sound of both the lock and the door feet from me. Either pissing him off or hurting him, I don't think it is _completely _safe to stay near him because of my recent memory clip.

_"You're one of us now, right?" _I heard Corwin's voice along with a picture of me in the Legion armor standing against a mirror that only showed everything of me from the neck down.

I eyed the rest of the equipment on the bed until I noticed the long, dark gray wrap that was used for my arm at the REPCONN test site and for Craig's dislocated arm in Vault 3. "Did Craig kept that thing all this time?" I questioned once I grabbed it and hold it with both of my hands. I eyed at the piece of cloth, giving me an idea of placing it under my hair on my forehead and around to the back, making a tight enough knot to keep it from falling off. Plus, it is a good idea to hide my scar to avoid any body else killing me for something like Benny has. "I better hurry." I spoke to remind myself of the mission Jean-Baptiste is about to instruct me and Simon in about ten minutes.

* * *

After a good five minutes of preparing with all the bells and whistles for my new armor, I followed Simon towards the double doors of the Silver Rush. "I wonder what Jean-Baptiste is going to assign us once we walk through those doors?" I asked my partner. I have the rest of my friends stay put in the Atomic Wrangler until such time is needed.

"Beats me," Simon replied, waiting for me at the top of the small stack of stairs with his hand on the knob. "Hope it's not one of those 'find a specific item and return it to me' kind of job. That shit is not my best cup of tea."

I cocked my head to the right. "Cup of tea? You're not thirsty about that mission." Seriously, I really need to bloodied Benny's face once I see him. That fucker..

"Figure of speech, rookie." He chortled. "Let's get this thing over with." He opened up the door, letting myself in first before h to meet with both the owners near the metal gate. "Mr. Jean-Baptiste and Ms. Gloria, I hope the both of us aren't late for the briefing?"

Gloria shook her head with her arms crossed against her chest. "Not at all, you two are five minutes early than the scheduled time. But, I am pleased to have my employees come in early, it shows just one part of loyalty to the Van Graff family." She turned her head to her brother. "Brother, if you may?"

Jean-Baptiste has his arms behind his back when he gave his sister an agreeable nod. "Of course." He turned directly at me and Simon. "Thank you the both of you for coming here, at an earlier time that what I instructed you two to come in. But, better early than ever. Now, onto the reason why I called you two here. If we're going to work together, there's only one thing you need to know about me. I like things simple, got it?"

"Yes, sir." Me and Simon answered directly.

"Good!" My boss smiled. "That is the attitude I am looking for." He cleared his throat. "Recently Glory negotiated a deal between us and a big time player, in which we shouldn't pull out any names due to private business reasons. We're talking more caps than you'd probably see in a lifetime. Your part in this is simple. To finalize this deal, I need to tie up a loose end. To do that, there's a girl I need you to find. "

"Who might that be, sir?" Simon asked before I could.

"Rose of Sharon Cassidy." Jean-Baptiste answered. "Recall that time yesterday where I mistaken you for that whore?" He glared at me icily, making me nod without saying anything. "But about that name she has. That's some fancy shit, right? Don't know what her mother was thinking with a name like that." He chuckled for moment, but retained his serious demeanor. "one."

"Do you even know where she is exactly?" I asked him.

All the boss can do I blow a raspberry through his lips and shrug. "The fuck if I know. If I knew where this bitch was, do you think I'd be asking you? Still, there's someone who might - old Alice McLafferty, Crimson Caravan leader and manager. She might know something of her whereabouts like the back of her hand. She keeps tabs on caravan traffic in the Mojave, wouldn't put it past her to keep track of Cassidy Caravans and its owner."

"But where is this Alice McLafferty?" I asked.

"In the Crimson Caravan base outside of Freeside." Simon replied before our boss can. "Here, let me show you." He walked over to me and raised my arm up for my Pip Boy, pressing the screen a few times and twisting some knobs until a map showed up. "Let's see..." He murmured, scanning through the map and pinpointed our destination in ten seconds flat. "Right there. Just a short distance from here."

I had to laugh."And I thought my Pip Boy was only on my arm just to figure out the time or bring out items stored in here. I guess I need to discover this device while we are traveling on the roads."

Jean-Baptiste cleared his throat again to get our attention back to him. "If you have time to look at that toy on your arm, I advise you to do it at another time. Bring that caravan owner over here so I can have a nice chat with her."

"And just what exactly do you want to talk to her about?" I fold my arms against my upper body. Just something about this mission doesn't seem to make sense.

All the boss can do is frown. "If your answer isn't 'Yes, I'll bring her here!' or 'No, I won't, cause Gloria had me pegged wrong!', then we're done here. Now, are you going to do it or not?"

I just nod once. "We will, sir. You can count on us to have the job done. Just hoping we don't run into any raiders or Deathclaws on the way there."

"Look," Gloria walked forward. "all we want you and Simon to do is bring that person here if you want to remain working here with the Van Graffs. If you do the job right, I'll throw in the laser rifle as your reward with no caps to pay for it. Bur remember," she walked again and stopped with our faces inches from each other. "this will test you on how loyal you are to us. Understood?"

I bobbed my head again. "Understood."

Gloria chuckled a little. "Good, I love that kind of attitude. Wish more of my guards can have a set of hard nut sacks to have the nerve and the tenacity like you have." She walked back to her brother's side. "I wish you two the best of luck on your mission. I'll let two of the other guards in here keep guard of the doors during your absence. You're dismissed."

Both Simon and I bobbed our heads at them before we turned to the door. We got outside when I saw Pacer standing near the bottom step, smoking his cigarette. "Going to be errand boys for my Gloria, I presume?"

"None of your damn business, Freeside Snitch." Simon snarled, walking pass the thug with me back to the Atomic Wrangler.

"Aww, come on, Simon boy," Pacer sarcastically whined. "just wanted a friendly chat with you and the Crimson Dynamite walking beside ya before you two have to leave. Maybe your rookie friend can get better acquainted with me."

All I can do is ignore that bastard. "Alright, Simon. There will be a few things we need to do before we can head out of here."

"Alright, lay them on me." Simon smiled as soon as we made it to the door.

"Catch you guys on the flip side, then!" Pacer yelled from behind us.

* * *

_-Craig-_

"Where the _fuck _is my beret at!?" I yelled at the top of my lungs while I stomped my way down the stairs. It all started after my little predicament after Crimson kicked me out the room, sat on one of the chairs on the bottom floor. Next thing I know, I have the cone shaped birthday hat on my head instead of my 1st Recon beret.

"Come on hulk," the Brotherhood woman said while sitting on one of the stools, sipping a Sunset Sarsaparilla while Crimson is out. "at least enjoy a day and have fun, it is your birthday after all."

I glared coldly at her. "I don't want to celebrate it! This day brings back horrible memories!" I don't have the fucking time to argue over some stupid, ditsy bitch. All I want to do is find my headwear and isolate myself from everyone, waiting for the day to breeze by. I noticed the entrance/exit door opening with both the courier and her partner entering.

"Okay, we need to settle down for a moment while we find something to eat before we leave." Crimson instructed to the Silver Rush guard. "We can't leave anywhere on an empty stomach. Also, grab the necessary equipment and supplies while we are traveling through the wasteland. If we are just one Stimpak short, it might cost us our lives."

"We should also stock up on some RadAway and Rad-X while we are at it." The guard replied back. "Radiation can also be a big concern here."

I saw the doc walking up to the two. "I've got all those supplies back at the Old Mormon Fort. Why do you need them for?"

Crimson walked passed the two and made her way to the others. "Alright everyone, I have been instructed by my and Simon's boss to go retrieve a certain someone somewhere here in the Mojave, and our first stop will ne over at the Crimson Caravan to speak with a person name Alice McLafferty to give us the whereabouts of this said person. But before we can head out, we need to make sure we don't venture out on an empty stomach, and to be better equipped I we are ever going to set foot out of the outer walls of Freeside."

"I'll make sure to retrieve Timbuk over at the Old Mormon Fort so our travels will go easy if we ride on the carriage." The quack merchant spoke. "Mr. Arcade, you said you have some supplies over there right? We can head over there right now and stock up on supplies." He and his katana-wielding bodyguard got up off of the chairs and made their way to the doctor.

"Precisely," Arcade pushed his glasses up. "Just tell me the specific assortment and we shall be prepared for the world out of the walls of this slum infested settlement." He, with the other two, walked over to the door and exit out of there.

"I'll head back to the Silver Rush." The guard told the courier. "I need to get permission from Ms. Gloria if you can use that laser rifle for your mission." With a nod from Crimson to him, he exit his way out of the building.

"While we are at it," the Brotherhood woman squealed. "I better fix up my Power Fist to is good condition. I really hate to have it bust into pieces like I did with Tiny behind me" She got up off the chair and skipped her way towards the stairs to the second floor rooms.

**"Welcome back to Radio New Vegas, everyone!" **the guy on the radio announced. **"This is Mr. New Vegas as your anchor, and everyone of you is special in your own kind of way. Let mw grab the news letter in front of me and we will get started!"**

"Hope it's not about me..." Crimson groaned.

"Aw, don' be like that, Crims!" The ex-bounty hunter called out, twirling his .32 pistol on his finger. "Ya gon' be hearin' yer good work on th' radio one way 'r 'nother." He got up on both his feet, one fake foot to be specific. "Well, I'ma mosey o'er to th' room t' freshen up fer th' trip." He followd the same route the Brotherhood woman went through.

**"Civilian eyewitnesses outside of Camp McCarren reported an explosion near the monorail tracks." **Mr. New Vegas announced about the events about thw monorail that almost killed me. **"But also heard word that security will be tightened around the walls and terminal thanks to a quick thinking courier of an assumed name and her five-men battalion."**

"As if I don't get much attention the radio," Crimson walked and sat on one of the small tables with her arms crossed. "I wonder who is keeping track of my whereabouts?'

I shrugged with my arms crossed as well. "Beats me."

**"Well, that's all the news I have here, my fellow listeners." **Mr. New Vegas concluded. **"I will let off with another one of my favorite songs from Ol' Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra."**

_Huh!? _My eyes widen at the sound of a well known name I heard from my childhood.

**"Look into the eyes of the person who you really love in the bottom of your heart." **Mr. New Vegas spoke, which made me take a small peek at Crimson. **"If you see a twinkle in her eyes like the stars in the sky, let her know how beautiful sue is. Or maybe just tell her...Fly Me to the Moon."**

_That song! _I gasped quietly once a slow tempo of the drums began to beat through the jukebox speaker. It has been a while since I've heard this song, quite a while. I smiled just a little, telling myself to loosen up, hoping no one but Crimson can see me sing. _**"Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars!"**_ I sang along with the radio. _**"Let me see what spring is like on a-Jupiter and Mars." **_I stood up and walked to the courier as I eyed her baffled expression at me. _**"In other words, hold my hand!" **_I held my hand out, to my suprised she took it and got up off the table. _**"In other words," **_I wrapped my free arm behind her back, holding her other hand up in the air._** "baby, kiss me"**_

"Craig?" Her face turned several shades of red as I slowly began to dance, making sure she keeps up with me.

_**"F**__**ill my heart with song, and let me sing for ever more!" **_I continued to sing to her while we slow dance, my eyes locked within her _** "You are all I long for, all I worship and adore. In other words, please be true."**_ I gazed at her blushing face as she giggled for a moment, making me smile slightly." _**"In other words, I love you! **_Let's see if you can keep you can keep up with me!" I warned her as the tempo sped up a bit, changing the slow dance into a foxtrot.

"W-Whoa!" Crimson tried her best to keep up with me. "H-How-!? How did-!? What is this!?" She looked down and followed along with my feet. After a few seconds, she actually got the hang of it. "Craig, how did you-!?"

"Dancing" I answered. We slowed the dance a bit after the trumpet part of the song. "I learned to dance with my father's sister when I was a kid after she got married to my uncle back then. Believe me, it took a while to get use to it. Fuck, I kept stepping on my aunt's feet if I made a mistep." I smirked as I bend her back at the loud trumpet note, her head almost touching the floor.

"Wh-Whoa-a-a!" Crimson's right hand clutched my shoulder, eyed me as a burst of laughter escaped her.

I couldn't help but smile at her while I stayed in this posture for a good few seconds._** "Fill my heart with song, let me sing for ever more!" **_I sang along to the music as I picked her back up to continue dancing._ **"You are all I long for, All I worship and adore." **_I pressed my forehead against hers_**. "In other words, please be true!" **_I twirled myself and Crimson about eight times and moved several feet from where me and her were at. Glad Crimson didn't lose herself._ **"In other words, in other words," **_I drew her close to me._ **"I love" **_I swayed her from side to side with the three piano notes._ **"you!" **_I held her in a diagonal formation just a in a thirty degree angle as a big finish once the song ended, keeping a good hold of her with my right arm while my left still holding her right hand. I pulled one corner of my lips into a gentle, crooked smile with a wink.

Crimson kept her bottle cap sized eyes glued to me, her face as red as an hour long sun tan while I slowly bring her up straight. I still kept my arm and hand on her. "Craig," she breathed. "I-I-I-"

She was interrupted by a surrounding applause and cheering from different parts of the building. Brotherhood whistling right beside the bounty hunter near the second floor, the store owners clapping behind the desk, even the bodyguards clapped their hands. "That was amazing!" Brotherhood yelled with her arms up in the air. "I have never seen a dance like that before!"

"I'll say!" Bounty hunter agreed. "Wish I c'n 'ave someone t' dance with an' 'ave a good ol' time!"

I simply ignored the two behind me, my mind mainly about the courier I just sang to and danced with. "To be honest with you, Crimson. Besides my family, this is the first time that I have ever danced with someone. And," I feel my face burning up. "I have never felt this uplifting, not even with Carla." I started to grind my teeth at the slightest thought of her. "Fuck, Carla hated dancing. Every time I asked her to dance with me so I can show her my ability, she would just argue with me about making her sprain or injure her ankles."

"Craig!" Crimson snapped me out of almost exploding into a huge mushroom cloud in the middle of the Atomic Wrangler. I let go of her hand that was still held on to my right. "You can't be bringing up the past if you know it might end up hurting you or pissing you off. It's just not right." She placed her free ha d on my broad shoulder. "But, what you just did really surprised me, Craig. I ever had this much fun with a single person during my travels, and just by those movements you made really got me motivated."

She's right, honestly. I am highly appreciated that she brought me back to the light just when I was about to drown deep into an irradiated ocean. I smiled once again before bringing the courier into my arms for a gentle embrace. "Thank you." I said to her. "I really needed that. Now, if only I can find where my beret went. I wish the Brotherhood woman hadn't hide it from me while I was napping for a bit."

She pulled back away from slowly. "We better get ourselves fed and ready if we are going to travel out in the barren desert. Oh," she dug into her pocket and brought out a familiar, red velvet headwear with the small, gild plate on one side of it. "I had it." She held it out to me.

Flabbergasted, I never would've guessed this courier would have a hold of my beret all this time. But on the side note, at least she admit it. I chuckled once I grabbed the beret off her hand, placing it firmly on my head. "I'll get you for doing that."

Crimson formed a big smile on her face. "Happy birthday, Craig! Let's get ourselves fed first."

I signaled her with a nod before walking to the bar, sitting beside my trusted companion for a bite. Maybe this birthday of mine will be completely different now that I got a friend to celebrate with. _Thanks, Crimson. You made me show a part of me that has been begging to be out of its life-sentencing cage. _I thought as I took a sip of some Sarsaparilla soda. Let hope this good mood will last throughout the day.

* * *

_**((I know Fly Me to the Moon is not in the game, but I figure I can add that song into my story. Plus, a BIG birthday shout-out to a special, longtime, best friend of mine. I hope you enjoy this chapter with your favorite song in it. See you next week! -CS))**_


	49. Chapter 48 - Hybrid

**_-Birds of a Feather Pt. 4-_**

"Is that all of the supplies to bring along on our trip, Arcade?' I have my back leaned against the wooden carriage in front of the Old Mormon Fort large, wooden gate while awaiting the rest of the supplies for my and Simon's objective to find a caravaner name Sharon Rose of Cassidy for Jean-Baptiste Cutting. Most of my companions are in the fort trying to get all of the medical supplies and check-up, Veronica went west in search of some food, and Simon at the Silver Rush to discuss with Gloria regarding using the laser rifle for the mission.

"Not quite, Ms. Courier." Arcade spoke while he eyed the clipboard in his right hand. "We have yet to obtain Stimpaks and RadAway from Ms. Julie Farkas. But just a generous amount to last through the excursion." He gave off a chuckle while pushing his glasses up his nose. "And I have a good tendency to make a suitable amount for each one of us if we are ever in a predicament such as raiders, Fiends, or maybe those dastardly Legionaries."

"You better, doc, or it's your head that will be in my sights." Craig appears through the small opening of the fort's gate, carrying a wooden crate with several Stimpaks and empty needles in a small bag to the carriage. "I would hate to become injured again if we ever come across the Legion I want to kill off."

Arcade eyed the soldier and groaned. "And you have a bad tendency in making rash decisions, birthday boy. Why not avert yourself from the enemy and enjoy your once-a-year festivities...if there is any."

Craig returned his remark with a snarl at the doctor. "Never. Fucking. Mention. That. Again!"

Ever since this morning, Craig has a problem with being reminded about his birthday from Arcade ever since the doctor took a sneak peek of Craig's NCR dog tag that is now hung around the brute's broad neck on a long, thin string. All because of his past regarding his dad being in the military and mother constantly abandoning him, he rather forget about today and focus on other things at hand. But the attitude drastically changed after a little dance number to a song on the radio at the Atomic Wrangler we are currently settling in, temporarily. A sudden, happy giggle bounced through the median of my neck. "Never changed..." I murmured under my breath.

"I'll go check up on the rest of the squadron in the fort to see if they have finished their check-up." Arcade scribbled down a few things on the board. "Can't let them wander with any sprains, broken bones, medical conditions, ane-"

"Alright, alright." I rolled my eyes at the doctor. "Go be a doctor for a few minutes while I go look in the carriage and straighten the supplies for us to sit."

Arcade glared coldly through his thick framed glasses. "As if you know about my medical history, Ms. Courier. This is no laughing matter if you were to have a small paper cut on a main artery." He turned his back on Craig and I, walking back into the fort with both his hands, one with a clipboard, behind his back.

"So, do you got something to say after you laughed under your breath?" I twist my head at Craig after he got the small crate into the carriage, glaring right at me with his green eyes and a smirk curled on one side. Even one of his brows his up.

"I-I..." I gulped. "W-Well..." Ever since he began to act so differently while the both of us are standing alone on certain occasions, I feel more flustered and nervous around him. But because of his relationship status, my ever-growing emotions to him are now at a dead halt. But it's not just that, the sudden memory of a Legion armor resting on my lap with Corwin elsewhere around me is what made me keep my distance due to Craig's intense hatred with the enemy.

"Crimson," just how softly Craig said my name made my hairs stand. "look, we may have known each other for about a week or so, but the both of us pretty much walked through a bunch of obstacles while making sure our backs aren't full of knives and bullets. If there is anything in your mind constantly bothering you, you can talk to me if you don't feel comfortable having everyone else in our battalion listen in."

Obliged or concerned, either way, the thought of being a Legionary is what keeping me from talking. What if I did, then I'll just he another moving target in his scope. "It's.." I stammered, figuring the right words to say to him. "I've been thinking...about earlier today. And...I wanted to tell you tha-"

"If you want me to give you dance lessons, I'll teach you." Craig interrupted me, as if I was talking about the dance me and him did earlier this morning. "It's a hassle, but with practice it'll be a cinch. Unless you have two left feet."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "Two left feet? I only have one."

Craig's lips curled to a smile as a small chuckle echoed out of his throat. "Crimson," he chuckled once more, making my face burn with embarrassment. "two left feet is a figure of speech. In other words, you have little to no skill or knowledge about dancing other than being a klutz with your feet under my boots. I'll show you everything I know like the slow dance, Foxtrot, maybe swing."

Well, it's definitely not what I have expected Craig to respond despite wanting to tell him about my dark problem. Then again, it's best not to say it at all. "Well," I pulled an embarrassed smirk, but it grew to a more pleasing one. "how about this. After we manage to find the person me and Simon are looking for Jean-Baptiste Cutting, how about a few hour lessons when we get back to the Atomic Wrangler."

Craig's eyes widen, but even he smirked along with me. "Along with that, I should teach you how to improve your accuracy with your laser rifle. And I shouldn't mentioned working on your punches, gecko bite."

"Shut up, Craig!" I released a loud laugh from that smart remark he made after the ineffective punch I gave him last night. "Don't remind me! Just because my arms are a couple of twigs compared to your muscle tone military arms doesn't mean you can poke fun on the weak."

Craig fold his arm over his torso, his shoulders shaking from laughter. "You're just easy to tease."

I went to open my mouth to protest against the sniper only to have an arm covered in a jet-black leather material wrapped over my shoulders. "My, my, never thought I would have a chance to see you leave without saying goodbye to your favorite Freeside local, Crimson gal?" The smooth, but irritating, voice from the King's member Pacer is just enough for me to loose my lunch.

"Pacer, what the fuck are you doing here!?" I shoved the thug off of me with my right elbow."Shouldn't you be with your other comrades? And besides, why come to me instead of Gloria, since she is the peak of your interest from what I've heard from you."

"Naw, Gloria's old news now." Pacer readjusted his leather jacket. "You, Crimson Dynamite, are whom I'm looking for." He walked forward and pressed his fingers against my chin, pushing my head up to meet his face inches off from mine. "You are real eye candy, girl. Sweet and full of explosive effects."

"What the fuck!?" I twist my head quickly to see Craig grabbing a handful of Pacer's stripped shirt. "Just who the fuck are you before I have your head in my scope!?" His face is flared up with fury after what he witness from Pacer.

Pacer's face grew sour. "NCR..." He spat in his now disgusted tone. "A soldier wandering the streets with this lowly courier. Tell me, why as a soldier of your rank around this part of Freeside? Shouldn't you be with your comrades-in-arms for your own selfish reasons?"

Craig remained still, his green eyes locked with Pacer's. "I use to be one, but that doesn't mean I can't be one at heart. I have traveled with Crimson by choice in my own matters, some of which I rather not mention to you _at any point_! Now, if you'll excuse mw and Crimson, she and I have something to do."

The Kings member curled the left part of his lips up to a smirk. "But I was just going to send her a little goodbye gift, a little kiss on the cheek, if you don't mind?" He was then yanked and slammed in the side of the carriage, making it shake a couple of times.

"Implant those disgusting lips on her, and I swear you'll be tasting lead in seconds." Craig growled through his clenched jaw.

"Why so protective of her, soldier boy!?" Pacer spat at him. "Could it be that you have a soft side for her?" Just that comment alone made a vein pop out of the sniper's head. "Besides, if she were to ever choose between the both of us, I'd recommend myself as the lucky candidate. Maybe show off a little side of mr behind closed doors." He winked at me and chuckled, making Craig shove Pacer harder against the wood.

Craig raised his fist back. "That's a death sentence, fuck stain!"

"Oh, shit!" The sound of my coworker's alerting voice called off from behind me. Simon ran passed me and forcefully shove Craig a few feet from Pacer. "What in the hell are you trying to do, start a war with the Kings if Pacer gets harmed!?" Now the Van Graff guard is making himself as a human shield in front of Pacer, in which I know Simon wouldn't rather do to someone as irritating as the Kings' right hand man.

"Keep that fucking piece of garbage away from Crimson if he wish to never come into my scope's sights next time!" Craig growled at Simon.

Simon held up both of his hands up to keep his traveling partner at bay. "You don't need to cause violence here, 1st Recon. Word gets out that one of the members of the Kings have any marks or bruises, many of them will chase you down and shoot you dead. Best to keep your temper on the down-low."

"Yeah, listen to what Simon boy says, soldier boy." Pacer tidied up his upper attire. "I'll make sure you have an even shorter leash if you decide to attack me again."

Simon turned around to see the thug behind him. "And I don't know why you insist in barging into our business, but that kind of charade needs to stop immediately. Why don't you go mess with Ms. Gloria and stay out of my sight?"

The Kings member pulled a small cigarette from the small pocket within his leather jacket and lit it up with his lighter. "As I got through talking to the Crimson gal, Gloria is old news to me. The courier coworker of yours is what's all over my mind now. But seeing how soldier boy is protecting her, I predict a nice competition to see who'll whisk her off her feet."

Craig moved in front of me, acting as a shield to keep Pacer from coming over to me. "Competition my ass! Crimson is no item to be placed on a mantel, and sure as fuck that she is no trophy you can just buffer and shine whenever you like. I suggest you keep at least ten feet away from her, even if I am not with her."

Paver exerted the nicotine fumes from his puckered lips in the air above him. "Threatened me all you want, soldiers boy. None of your persuasion can phase mw one bit now that I have my eyes on the lowly courier." He shift his dark eyes at me. "I best be leaving you folks so you can settle on your own matters for your boss lady. I'll see you once you get back." After winking and blowing a kiss at me, he turned himself around to the direction where the Kings settlement is and walked off with his cigarette between his right index and thumb.

"You sure got a lot a nerve standing up to the Kings' best friend like that." I turned to both Simon and Craig looking at each other. "It's risky to face off against the bang of gangsters all on your own, even if its the Freeside Snitch Pacer of all people. If you fight with one, you fight with many, so you have to watch yourself the next time you act one of the Kings members."

"Just the way he did that to Crimson was uncalled for." Craig spoke. "If he were to land his vile lips on her, I'll lose myself in just one millisecond."

I walked from behind the sniper to meet his hard glare. "Craig, I would've handled it myself. Just that I don't want a huge outbreak of mass violence happening here before I can have a chance to confront Benny in New Vegas."

"Or what," Craig snapped at me. "let that prick have his way with you!?"

I glared back at him. "I'll take care of him once I return a good fist to his face. He punched me after being a so called _wise ass _towards him while I was on guard duty with Simon."

Craig raised one of his eyebrows at me. "Reason why you asked Brotherhood to punch you last night? And how you made a gecko bite of a punch on my face?" He formed a small smirk and chuckled at his joke.

"Sh-Shut up Craig!" My face burns from mentioning my weak punches again.

"I'm back!" The high pitch singing voice of Veronica nearly made me jump an inch off of the ground. "Oh, sorry, Crimson. I forgot about how easily scared you get when something unexpected comes out of nowhere."

I groaned at the Brotherhood companion while she giggled. "Don't remind me..."

Veronica continued giggling. "It'll happen again soon, just unexpected that's all. But, anyways, I brought some meat and snacks for the trip. I also include specific ammo for every one of your weapons in case you guys run out."

"Perfect." Craig took the ammo bag from Veronica's hand and hopped onto the carriage. "More for me to kill off the Legionary once I see them in our travels."

Simon walked towards me and held out the laser rifle I was using yesterday while guarding the Silver Rush doors. "And speaking of ammo, I managed to pack up to microfusion cells for you to have while in case. Gloria gave me the okay to let you use it." He held up several cylindrical ammo meant for my laser rifle.

I kindly took the armament off of Simon's hand and placed in the holster on my back. Then put all of the microfusion cells into my pockets. "Thanks Simon. I don't think I would last out there without a weapon. But all there is left for us is to get the rest of the supplies in the carriage before we head out of Freeside."

Arcade, along with Eric and Azrael, came out of the fort with a few more wooden crates of supplies, tents and rolled up beddings to put into the carriage. Terence came out with Julie while bringing the old Brahmin Timbuk out for the creature to pull the carriage carrying the eight of us plus the supplies and food to the Crimson Caravans Company. "Good, good, and good." Arcade scribbled on the clipboard. "Thank you so much Ms. Farkas for the supplies. We will make sure to return any leftovers or spare medicinal materials to you once we return from Ms. Couriers' agenda."

The Mohawk haired Followers of the Apocalypse member nod her head, grabbing the clipboard Arcade offered her to take. "We hope you all have a safe journey." She turned away to head inside the fort, closing the huge wooden door behind her.

"Alright," Craig called from inside the carriage. "the space is cleared for all of us to ride in."

"Wish there c'n be some entertainment durin' our travels." Eric said while climbing onto the carriage. "If I 'ad some caps 'n m' pockets, I'd find a good time if 'e're ever t' settle 'n th' wastes."

"Sheesh, tiny." Veronica rolled her eyes. "still talking about riding the prostitutes if you find any lying around the barren desert?"

"Stop callin' m' tiny, V!" Eric yelled.

Simon shook his head at the ex-bounty hunter. "In fact, why are you traveling with us if you want that kind of entertainment when you can head back to the Atomic Wrangler and ask for an escort?"

"Simon," I got my coworker's attention away from Eric. "we are all in this together. What good of a battalion are we if we can't protect each other's backs? Like Craig said: 'When one falls, the rest falls with him or her'!" I've learned a lot about being in one unit while handling the battalion punishment with Natalie back at Camp McCarran. I may not be an NCR soldier, but I have helped the powerhouse faction into strengthening their numbers and protecting their comrades while preparing for the war against the Legion.

"I agree." Terence latched the harness onto Timbuk, strapping a few straps around its abdomen. "Teamwork is key to success when instructed by the high superiors. A battalion is broken if either ones views of handling the objective would have their strength faltered." After securing the harness on his caravan Brahmin, he hopped onto his seat on the from of the carriage. "Is everybody ready for our trip to the Crimson Caravan's Company?"

Azrael, with his usual tuxedo attire and katana sheath in its scabbard, hopped onto the carriage, sitting himself on top of a large crate behind Terence. "The sooner we head to Ms. Alice McLafferty, the more we will obtain more information as to where this person you are looking for, Courier Crimson."

"Exactly, Azrael." I nod once, climbing onto the carriage, with a little help from Craig after butting in front of Eric. "If I am ever to keep the guard duty business with Simon, I'll save up to finally get through the Strip gates."

"Why are you heading to the Strip for?" Simon asked while climbing aboard with the rest of the companions following along.

"She wants to take back a Platinum Chip the Tops chairman took from her." Veronica answered before I can. "Although, you haven't told us what you'll do after that."

I went dead silent. What Veronica said to me sure did bring the question back up after Craig asked me the same question days ago. "Well-"

"If we got time to dawdle, we should proceed to our destination." Arcade took his seat beside Simon. "We would hate to hear your managers putting the foot down on you and your coworker."

Simon nod and turned his head at me. "Your call, rookie."

I nod back at my coworker, then turned my head directly at the merchant while I sat down next to Craig and Veronica. "Onward to the Crimson Caravan to meet Alice McLafferty, Terence." After my order to the merchant went into affect, Terence got Timbuk to move forward towards the metal gates leading to the Mojave.

* * *

"Well...so much for a carriage ride." Veronica eyed the left, broken carriage wheel. It was only a short distance from Freeside's north gate to the metal gates of the Crimson Caravan Company when the wheel broke off after running over a deep pot hole just a foot behind the carriage. "I'm surprised your carriage last this long with so much weight in it, including us."

"Yeah, thirty years of caravan traveling," Terence eyed the carriage's broken wheel.

"Thirty!?" Eric shrieked. "Gosh darn it, merc. 'ow old 're ya?"

Terence formed a gentle grin when he got off the ground to stand. "53 years old, Mr. Eric. Appearance can be quite deceiving if you take one good glance at me and assume I am much younger than what I really am."

"But why the smooth skin and the barely recognizable wrinkles on your face, quack herbalist?" Veronica asked, raising one of her dark eyebrows up. "Actually, never mind, I think it might've been one of your failed remedies that you've made long before meeting us." Then her brows who up. "Oh, speaking age, I wonder how old everyone is!"

"Brotherhood Veronica," Azrael stepped forward to the merchant's side. "we can't waste time here in such irrelevant and unrelated questions regarding the task at hand. We of the Brotherhood know that our missions always comes first when instructed by the Elder."

"And where's the Elder now to tell us what to do?" Veronica asked the exiled Brotherhood member. "I am just a scavenger and you're an exiled comrade. Out in this wasteland, we don't have the Elder breathing down our necks and hover over us to make sure our tasks are still in our minds. And besides, why can't we talk amongst ourselves and tell ourselves our age since quack herbalist and hulk told us their age. And should I mention it's hulk's birthday today?'

I could hear Craig growled under his breath. "One more comment like that from you, I'll find some duct tape and shut your mouth closed."

"Well, if you must know," Arcade pushed his glasses up. "I am 35..."

"38 'n still buckin'" Eric answered.

"20..." Azrael spoke next.

"25, ain't getting younger." Simon chuckled.

"And 28!" Veronica smiled before gazing at me. "What about you Crimson? Do you know your age?"

Age? I wish I know how old I am if Benny hadn't shot me. "Well," confused as I am right now, I'm having a hard time remember my age. But then it hit me. "I have this delivery paper on me the day I got shot that's shows a date on the top portion on the paper." I quickly grabbed the small paper and unfold it. "June 8th, 2257?"

"That makes you 24 years old, and that is your date of birth, Ms. Courier." Arcade announced. "Glad Mr. Soldier here didn't fell in love with someone under the age of 18. Pedophilia is highly frowned upon during the Pre-War America."

"Not that fucking stupid to know that, doc!" Craig growled. "And I don't love her! I have wife who I am faithful to! So shut your mouth about that!"

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure you do..." Arcade sarcastically said.

A sudden tapping noise coming from Timbuk made all us fell into a dead silence, only to have the whistling wind blow through our ears. "Wonder wh't that c'n be?" Eric walked over to where the sound came from, only to come running back towards us. "DUCK 'N COVER! GRENADE!" Just as he gave us the warning, the explosion occurred that made big chunks of meat fly everywhere around us.

Some blood and flesh bounced off of my arms while shielding my face from the flying Brahmin body parts. "Oh no. Oh no no no no!" I heard Terence's frantic voice. "TIMBUK!"

I lowered my arms and followed the rest of my companions to where Terence is at, only to see the Brahmin Timbuk lying dead on the ground with most of its midsection open, revealing several organs exposing out of the gap. "Holy shit..." I murmured at the horrific scene. "who would ever do this to your Brahmin?"

"Don't you fucking move, assholes!" Our attention was caught by a group of Fiends with their guns point at us feet from where we're standing. "Ah, I remember some familiar faces here from Vault 3." The male Fiend on front yelled. "Think you can run and avoid your execution after you killed off our leader Motor-Runner!?"

"Well, seems like the Fiends have a grudge on us." Veronica sound so calm despite the chem-filled psychotic wastelanders having their barrels point right at us.

I took my laser rifle out of the holster. "And why come here all of a sudden? You wish to try and kill us?"

The leading Fiend lowered his gun down and smirked. "Oh, you think _we _are here to kill you to fulfill out vengeance for our leader? We wish we can if it's just the four of us taking on you eight. But, we always make sure to be prepared for the worse."

I heard some stomping sounds echoing behind the carriage. I turned around and noticed a huge, ghoul-like mutant, being pulled by another Fiend on a leash and metallic collar, with armor like the Nightkin walking its way here. "Oh shit!" I gulped. I thought encountering ghouls was bad, but a huge, muscle built ghoul is worse than that.

I noticed everyone bringing their weapons out to ready themselves for the huge ghoul. "Whoa, never seen a ghoul Super Mutant hybrid in my life. I bet they are even more vicious than the species separately." Veronica noted, now making my skin crawl just by looking at the mutant ghoul.

"Now, we wish to introduce you to Crusher," the female Fiend yelled. "the Super Mutant ghoul hybrid we found wandering not too long ago. This abomination here has the strength of a huge crowd of the highest ranking NCR soldiers combined. It can even lift up broken down cars and throw them 100-feet away from its spot."

The ghoul mutant turned its head at the female Fiend. "You sure I can do that?" It scratched its head. "I-I never done that before..."

"Shut up!" The female Fiend tug on the leash tight, making the ghoul mutant tumble down in the ground face first. "Now stand up and kill them with your brute strength!"

The mutant pushed itself up with its well-build arms off the ground. "B-But I-!"

"Do it or I'll use this detonator to set off that collar around your neck!" She yelled, making the mutant ghoul winced and whimper.

I was the first one to lower my laser rifle and walked myself forward to the ghoul mutant. Something about it and the way it it's not obeying the Fiend's command just doesn't seem right. "Lift a car and throw 100-feet, hmm?" I asked the Fiend.

"Yeah, it can even break every bone in your body like a little piece of twig." she growled. "Now stay still an-" a small hole appeared on her forehead after something zipped past the left aide of my head, obviously from Craig. A few more gun shots were heard behind me where the other's are at.

"Well, that was easy..." Veronica sound so unenthusiastic. "I wish they can pull more of a challenge than to spout threats at us."

"I git tired o' hearin' their threats 'n kill joy attitude, all talk b't no gun slingin'. B't glad I am not one o' 'em anymore." Eric spoke. "But what t' do with th' mutant, by th' way?"

Craig appeared in front of me and aimed his rifle at the ghoul mutant. "We get rid of it, for one. Then we go inside the caravan company settlement to get Intel on our current mission for Crimson."

"H-Hold on a second, Craig." I spoke, trying to stop him.

"We can't wait a second, Crimson," Craig barked. "that second will go by once this damn stupid mutant rips your body in half. We need to kill it!"

"Huh?" The ghoul mutant spoke again, eyeing Craig's beret. "Is that...an army beret?" He grabbed the 1st Recon red beret off of Craig's shaved head and put it on its head.

Craig's face turned to a deep red as he dropped his rifle down to the ground. "Hey!" He yelled. "Give me back my beret! That is not an accessory to play with!" He ran up to the ghoul mutant and and tried to jump his way into getting his headwear back from the abomination, but with no success. "Okay, I really hate doing this!" He brought his arm back and punch hard on the tough, fleshy abdomen.

"Hey, that hurts!" The ghoul yelled, swatting Craig with its huge arm by force, making the sniper fly onto the concrete wall. "Meanie!"

"Craig!" I yelled, running to the sniper to check if he is alright. "Are you okay?"

Craig pushed himself from the ground to stand up. "I'm fine, I've jus-Fuck!" Craig screamed, leaning against the wall while holding onto his right arm. "My shoulder is dislocated again!" He continued to grunt in pain. "Damn those Stimpaks and their temporary healing."

Arcade walked over and adjusted his glasses while looking at Craig's arm. "Hmm, with the exceeded force from the ghoul abominations unarmed attack, it seems the right humorous has moved 3.3 centimeters from the hinge connected to your scapula. I suggest an extended treatment once we settled for the night tonight. What a way to have an injury on your birthday."

"Shut up!" Craig barked at the doctor.

"Hey, big fella." Veronica walked forward towards the big mutant ghoul. "You sure are quite different from all of the other super mutants and ghouls I've ever seen. Why don't you hand me hulk's hat so we wont cause any more harm to you."

"It's a beret!" Craig argued.

"B-But..." The mutant ghoul stammered and fidget around with its huge, fleshy fingers. "I-I've always wanted to be in the army when I want to grow up. Even one with a beret like the meanie has. I wanted to wear it!"

Veronica giggled. "The big meanie hulk is very protective over his hat, and he might become angry if he doesn't get it back. So," she held her arm out to the mutant. "may I please have it back, Crusher?"

"Willis." He spoke, making all of us eye him. "Those bone wearing meanies call me Crusher to make me look scary to other good people. I actually want to help people, not hurt them. That's what my mommy and daddy always tell me every day when I am going to school."

"School? Mommy and daddy?" Simon stepped in. "I'm sorry, for a Super Mutant-slash-ghoul you sound a lot more childish than what you look. Are you a 40-year-old living with your parents?"

Willis shook his head. "I'm 12."

"What!?" We all yelled.

Willis gave Craig's beret to Veronica and scratches his head. "Yeah, but I was not like this so many years ago, being a small zombie living underneath a cool underground tunnel with the number 54 on a gear shaped door. But some kind of foul odor and green smoke made me turn into this after something exploded miles from where I lived."

Arcade walked over to Willis and Veronica, pushing his glasses up. "So, you're saying is that you were a small kid two centuries ago that had been exposed to too much radiation, resulting in becoming a ghoul while living underneath and underground vault with a 54 on the door. But who would acquire the FEV to make you become a Super Mutant/ghoul hybrid?" He walked around the hybrid slowly. "With two conditions and mutations like what you have would've killed you right then and there."

"FE-huh?" Eric walked with Terence and Azrael behind the bounty hunter.

Arcade cleared his throat. "The Forced Evolutionary Virus, if such a simpleton like Mr. Hunter wouldn't know. It's a shifting-absorptive megavirus with a protein sheath reinforced by ionized hydrogen that makes it immune to irradiation."

"I remember the Enclave had a hold of the FEV long ago back at the eastern part of the post apocalyptic America." Veronica said to the doctor. "How did you know about that despite being a member of the Followers of the Apocalypse?"

Arcade flinched, adjusted his glasses again. "I-I've been listening to some holotapes, even people talking about the strange occurrences happening in the Capitol Wasteland. Like I said before, I am a bookworm, in many different forms. Anyways, Willis, where did you live?"

"Erm..." Willis spoke. "Wisconsin? Lots of snow in the winter, brown leaves in the fall. My mommy and daddy always take me there for a visit once a year to see my grandmom. B-But..." He started to sniff. "I miss my mommy and daddy!" He fell onto his bottom on the cracked gravel. "Why do they have to go away from those doctors!"

"Doctors?" Arcade placed a hand on Willis's broad shoulder. "What kind of doctors are you talking about? Biologists, chemists, scientists? Can you remember what happened when you got turn into a big Super Mutant?"

Willis wiped down some light green liquid off of his super mutant face. "There were three adults in a place I shouldn't go to. They..." He gulped. "they were putting a certain water looking thing through a needle." He winced and shivered. "They even saw me through the small open door, taking me into a long, flat board with no bed and put belts around my arms and legs. One said that maybe a zombie like me could become better than anyone else, I would be rewarded with a small toy car I've always wanted if I lived."

"Using manipulation to make you one of their lab experiments." Craig said while holding onto his dislocated right arm. "I bet you're afraid to die if you let them down, right?"

Willis nod his head once. "I've always wanted the blue, wooden toy car that was shown in a toy store. I even promised my mom and dad that I would be good for them. The doctors were the same way. They said that my parents had went through the same fate I have right now, but they died moments after the stuff was in their skin. I became angry at them, grew big and tall. But my anger caused me to..." He stopped talking after that.

"Aww," Veronica placed both of her hand on ghoul mutant's face. "I'm so sorry about what you've been through. It must've been hard."

"You think that's fucking bad, be in my shoes!" Craig yelled.

"Hulk, language!" Veronica covered Willis's ears. "He may not look like it, but he's 212 years old! Be nice to the little guy." She turned her head back to Willis. "Why not come along with us? Since you are free from the Fiends," she detached the metal collar off of his neck. "you wouldn't want to wonder the wastes alone without any idea of protecting yourself."

Willis lift his head up at Veronica quick. "Really!?" He got upon a flash and hug Veronica, swinging her from side to side in his arms. "Thank you thank you thank you, nice lady!" Seems like Wilkis is happy about the offer.

"Yo-o-o-o-ou're we-e-e-e-elcome!" Veronica wailed, maintaining herself while swinging.

I chuckled a little. "Reminds me of Natalie wanting to keep her gecko Kip as a companion back at Vault 22."

"Gecko companion?" Arcade raised an eyebrow.

"Long story." I replied. "Anyways, I need to head inside and find Alice McLafferty and her about where Rose of Sharon Cassidy is located."

"I'll come along, Ms. Crimson." Terence called up. "I also need to discuss with her about a wheel to spare for my carriage."

I nod at the merchant's request. "Everyone, please stay here while me and Terence head inside to see the boss if the place.." Terence and I turned and walked our way towards the large, metal gate of the company. Terence lift the gate halfway for mw and him to enter through.

"Hey there, Crimson!" I heard Ringo's voice coming from down the road surrounded by long, wooden barracks with a Brahmin ranch over to the right. "Glad you came by for a visit. What brings you here?"

"Hey, Ringo." Me and Terence walked up to the caravaner near one of the buildings to his right. "I'm here to see Alice McLafferty, you know where she is?"

"She's inside her office here." He pulled his thumb up towards the same building he is standing next to. "She's the white haired lady sitting behind the desk once you go inside."

"Ms. Crimson," Terence spoke to me. "you go meet with the boss of the company while I go ask around for a spare wheel for my carriage."

I bobbed my head before walking my way to the wooden stairs up towards the door. Opening it, I entered into a large room with a woman sitting behind the desk several feet from me. "Welcome to the Crimson Caravan Company, New Vegas branch. What may I do for you?"

I walked up towards the desk, eyeing the lady behind it. "Aren't you Alice McLafferty?"

The woman behind the desk nod her head once. "Indeed I am. Alice McLafferty, general manager of the Crimson Caravan Company. Who might you be, ma'am?"

"Crimson," I answered to Alice. "well, I think it might be my name. I'm a courier from the Mojave Express."

"Ah," Alice's thin brows skyrocketed. "you're the courier Ringo talked about after you saved him from the Powder Gangers on Goodsprings. Of it hadn't been for you, the Crimson Caravan would've lost a fellow soul in this company. On an important note, what can I do for you?"

"I'm looking for a certain caravaner, Rose of Sharon Cassidy," I answered. "I work as a bodyguard at the Silver Rush, and the Van Graff's told me to check in with you."

"Coincidentally, I'm also looking for her." Alice replied. "I've got a business offer she'd be interested in. I believe Ms. Cassidy frequents the Mojave Outpost, far south of here, near the California border." She handed me an envelope with nothing on the front nor the back. "Give this to Ms. Cassidy and have her to sign it before returning it to me."

I grabbed the envelope and placed it inside my pocket. "Thank you for the help Alice."

Alice nod once again. "It's been a pleasure."

I made my way out of the main office through the door to see Terence and Ringo carrying a wooden wheel out through the metal gate. "Manage to get a wheel, good." smiled.

**"And other news," **I heard the radio on top of a couple of wooden boxes. **"the Fiends number in Vault 3 and the Fiend territory have been reduced thanks to a five-men battalion lead by the courier with an assumed name. The NCR may have become relieved form this issue, all is not calm as the war against the Legion draws near. This is Mr. New Vegas saying" **he paused for a quick moment. **"I can't let you go, my love for you is too strong."**

I raised an eyebrow after hearing what the guy in the radio said. Then again, reminding everyone about my good deeds is really annoying as fuck. Shaking my head, I hopped off the small, wooden platform to the ground, running my way forward to catch up to the merchant and Ringo and helped lift the metal gate up for them to go through. "Let's hope that wheel is sturdy enough to carry an extra set of pounds."

"Mr. Willis," Terence called out to the ghoul mutant playing with Veronica. "we can use your assistance. Do you think you can use your strength and pick up this part of the wooden carriage up?" He point at the back, right section of the carriage.

Willis got up and stomped his way to the merchant. "I'll try, I never lift anything up twice my strength." He grasped the bottom on the wood and carefully lift it up, just enough for Terence and Ringo to fix the wheel. "Wow! This isn't so hard."

After the metal gate closed, I noticed everyone waiting around the back of the carriage. Arcade pushed Craig's right shoulder quickly to reconnect the dislocated arm. "There, give it time to heal, Mr. Soldier." Arcade said, outing a sling carefully on Craig's right arm. "I'm hoping my quick reflexes will pose a good status on your arm the next time I check on it. Just hold off on the Stimpaks for a while until its needed."

Craig, now with his beret on his head, growled at the doctor. "Thanks..." He saw me next to Tetence and Ringo fixing the carriage, pushing himself up with his left arm so he can walk to me. "Did you find any information about the person you're looking for."

"Sure did!" I gave him a positive smile. "Alice McLafferty told me sue is at the Mojave Outpost far south from here."

"I know that place all too well, Ms. Courier." Terrence called out once he got the broken wheel off of the carriage. "On your Pip Boy, look further down to the southwest corner with a road leading out the map. That is where it is."

I used the map on my device on my left wrist and traced where Terence instructed mw to find. "Holy shit, that far? That's like a few days worth of traveling depending on the circumstances we might run across on the way there."

"With patience," Terence chuckled gleefully. "we will make it."

"And my patience is wearing thin now." Craig rolled his eyes. "Any second wasted, more of those butt-fucking Legion will ram their way and kill us all if we are not quick enough to dispose of them. The less number of soldiers the Legion have, the less we'll deal with."

"Help...me..." A hoarse voice called off from behind me. I turned around, and shocked as I am, and see the Legion recruit Corwin staggering his way to my direction. All battered but and bruised with scrapes, cuts and blood all over him, I wonder what made him look like that. "Help...me..." He reached his arm forward, but he tumbled down face first.

"Oh shit!" I was about to run towards Corwin to lend a hand, but my arms are latched by two huge hands.

"Are you fucking crazy, Crimson!?" Craig yelled. "Why would you try to go and help out the enemy!? What if this a ruse to have more of the Legion's assassins waltz in a kill us all!?"

I gulped. Sure Corwin is part of the Legion, a pack of slave marauding, skirt wearing idealists wanting to rule the Mojave Wasteland once they take control of the Hoover Dam. "You're right." I turned around with Craig to meet with my other companions. But I stopped just a few feet from where I was standing. Reminding myself about my memory regarding Corwin sure brought up a lot of questions. I turned around and eyed back at the enemy, now feeling remorseful at the Legionary.

"Crimson, don't you fucking dare help that bastard out!" Craig yelled from behind. "Leave him to the coyotes!"

I gulped. I wanted to leave Corwin on the ground and rot for all I fucking care, but something in the pit of my soul made me stop from walking away from him._ Damn me and my good nature..._


	50. Chapter 49 - Assassin's Road

**_-((Quest Break))-_**

Arcade placed the round, silver item attached to his stethoscope onto the partially exposed body of the Legion recruit Corwin now turned carefully on his back. Bruises and cuts all over his face and arms, a lot of dry blood chipping away from his skin, most of his armor torn and broken now showing some of his torso, seems like he was beaten up pretty bad by something. "Can't believe I am doing a medical exam for a Legion recruit..." Arcade mumbled, continuing using his medical tool on different spots in Corwin's torso.

I kept a fair distance away from all of my displeased companions after I decided to help out the enemy much to everyone's protest. Especially Craig of all people, an NCR 1st Recon with bitter loathing towards the Legion. "I agree..." Craig growled before turning his head at me, giving a dark glare in his eyes. "we should've left him alone, _like the fucking piece of shit he deserves to be!_" he growled again through his tightly clenched teeth.

"Ya darn right, Recon." Eric said, smoking his cigarette at a different direction. "Feller might wake up 'n crucify us all. Smooth move, Crims..."

"I thought the Legion themselves are bad," Simon spoke. "but someone assisting them is completely different, but kind of shocking coming from Rookie herself."

Yep..." Veronica crossed her arms over her torso. "Though, I don't understand why a courier would want to recruit a butt-fucking, skirt pansy-"

"Alright, shut the fuck up!" I barked, irritated at how everyone is backing me into a corner. "Yes, I know it is completely fucked up of me to help heal and aid Corwin when we should've just walked away and continue with my objective...but-"

"But _what!?_" Craig barked as he walked his way to me. "Tell me what makes _him _a _valued soul _that needs to be saved!?" Using his left hand, his clenched my right arm tightly while the other is in a sling after being dislocated by the ghoul mutant hybrid Willis's strong arm. "I can't believe you, of all people, would want to help that bastard after what he has done to you a few nights ago. Any minute now, that trash will wake up and slit all of our throats!" He clenched his hand tighter on my arm, making me yelp in pain.

I whimpered, yanking and tugging my arm to have Craig loosen his grip. "C-Craig, let go!" Even jerking my arm away from the powerhouse faction 1st Recon proved to be useless because of his strong grip.

I felt his hand gripped tighter on my forearm, causing me yell a little. "Unless it is about helping that damn bastard," he growled through his tightened teeth in a dark and infuriated tone. "I will never let you go and help out that damn bastard, nor will I ever let you out of my sight!" He tugged my arm forward to have both of our faces nearly inches from touching. "Now tell me why you decide to aid the enemy, Crimson!?"

_"Consigue tus putas manos de encima de ella, asesino!" _We all turned around to the sound of some strange language rolling out of Corwin's tongue when he began to push himself off of the ground. Grunting and trembling to maintain his balance while trying to stand on his two feet, he turned around to meet both of his dark, brown eyes at Craig. "Let her go, _asesino_!"

Craig didn't follow Corwin's warning, keeping his clenched hand around my forearm, which is probably bruised by now. "Like I would want to take orders from a piece of Brahmin shit like you, bastard! And that stupid Latin language of yours now makes my ears bleed!"

"I beg to differ, Mr. Soldier." Arcade interject, putting his stethoscope inside a small, black bag with a red sign on one sign. "The language Mr. Recruit here is speaking is definitely not Latin. It's actually Spanish, a Pre-War language that was derived from Latin as one of the three romance languages. Asesino...I believed he said murderer?"

Corwin dust off the dry blood and dirt off of his nearly exposed body, arms and legs while eyeing Arcade. "You may say that, but I prefer assassin. A much more threatening word than a less serious word like murderer." He walked forward a few steps, but was stopped by Terence holding a set of leather clothing like the one he is wearing. "Get out if my way!"

"Please, sir," Terence held the leather armor out in front of Corwin. "I may suggest you change out of your faction armor immediately if you wish to prevent further bloodshed from the Crimson Caravan Company, as they are part of the NCR."

All Corwin can do while Terence is standing in front him was make a revolting feature on his face. "Shove off, merc." He walked around the caravan merchant, ignoring everyone he walked by while his dark brown irises are locked on Craig with his hand still clenched on my arm. "What I actually said was for you to get your fucking hand off her, asesino! You don't want your precious lover to have bruises solely from your temper."

Even though Craig unlatched his hand off of my arm, but made himself as a shield in front of me to avoid Corwin from taking one more step towards me. "She is not my lover, bastard!" He growled. "I don't know what makes you so special to her, but I sure as hell don't want you near her even though she was the reason why you are still walking!"

Corwin's eyes widen at Craig. "Like I would believe that, asesino! A fucking courier bitch with a fake condition saving my life!?"

"Look who's fucking talking!" Craig yelled at him. "If you think I can believe all of those inflicted marks and blood all over you, I am not buying it one bit! All you're trying to do is creating a ruse in order to find an opening and snatch Crimson away from me!"

"If you must know, asesino," Corwin yelled back. "Caesar himself ordered his Frumentarii to dispose of me after I stood up against the Son of Mars's leadership after his so called headache had prevented him from instructing another mission for us to do. How can that pile of old trash lead an army if all he can do is complain, complain, complain!"

"Like I can believe that, bastard!" Craig growled.

"Well, if you don't believe my reason to my appearance, how can I believe about what you said about that degenerate!?" Corwin clenches his hands tightly, looking like he was about to strike a punch at Craig's face.

Craig moved away to reveal myself to Corwin. "Ask her yourself." He walked around the Legionary so he can make his way towards the carriage. Knowing how pissed of he is at my actions, I'm assuming he wouldn't want to be involved while I am talking to the recruit.

I eyed at the annoyed Legionary in front of me in silence. With my mind filled with so much guilt from helping out the enemy behind mu companions back, I twist my head slightly to the left to avoid even more eye contact from Corwin. "Fucking hate this feeling..." I mumbled, hoping Corwin won't hear what I said.

"Is it true?" I moved my head back at Corwin, his face soften up and eyes full of confusion. "Did you actually go against your friends to aid me?" He lift his hand up and placed it on the left side of my face.

I swallowed a lump on my throat, feeling the heat burning on my face. "Yes, what Craig said is true. But I-" I was instantly stopped from Corwin bringing my face forward to have his lips smashed against mine. "Mm!?" I muffled. It's like back at the robotics factory, but it's more calm than before.

_Much like Craig's kiss..._

Corwin part his lips away from me, but kept his face close to mine to avoid looking at my companions._ "Mi amor," _Corwin whispered, his face softened now. "your eyes are just as I remembered four years ago. They shined so brighter than the full moon at night." He leaned his face forward against the right side of my face. _"Te amo..."_

_Te amo? _I thought to myself. _What does that mean?_

The spot where my scar is at began to throb as a memory clip began to surface in my eyes, in which I shut them tight from the intense pain. I am standing at the same spot where all of the perished bodies are lying around, except I looked far off into the west and noticed a group of people having their rifles pointed at the area where several tents are filled with blood and corpses. _"Maylene, mi hermana!" _ I noticed Corwin holding a small, lifeless body in his arms with endless years streaming down his face. The little corpse has the same hair and skin color as Corwin from my past.

_Could that be his little sister? _

Corwin kept hugging the little corpse, raising his head up at me. But the devastated expression on his face filled with tears turned dramatically to an alarming one. _"Go! You've got to get out of here!" _

I felt my past self lowered the eyebrows down. _What do you mean!? _I went to go turn around, but I felt something touch the back of my head, like the end of a gun's barrel.

_"Say still!"_

My eyes widen at the voice, the very recognizable voice that made my whole body shut down. I turned slowly, my breathing at a ten-fold as I looked passed my goggles at a 1st Recon beret on his shaved head, his cold and bitter eyes locked with mine behind his dark tinted glasses, and his scoped rifle pointed at me.

_Craig!?_

I snapped my eyes opened once I got back to reality, still feeling myself within Corwin's embrace. Using all the strength in my arms, I shoved Corwin five feet away from where I am standing. I stared back at the surprised Legionary, showing him my own surprised look. "H-How...!?" Horror-stricken at the memory of Craig in my memory, now it's all but a huge question mark as to why two snipers of opposing factions ended up in my past!

"What was that?" Corwin spoke to me. "What just happened a little bit ago?"

I placed my hand over the spot where my scar is at, still feeling the after affects of that sudden headache I had. "A memory...seeing you holding a small kid in your arms." I eyed Corwin with confusion. "Is that kid your sister, who you said Maylene?"

Corwin's eyes widen as the size of gecko eyes. "Y-Yes..." He turned his head away from me while clenching his teeth together. "My sister that was killed by that soldier lover of yours back at Bitter Springs. You arrived there, horrified at the atrocities the sniper division of the NCR has made, all you did was stand there while I was shouting for you leave that place." He only moved his hazel eyes at me. "Until you turned around to have his end of his rifle point at your face."

So, what Corwin was saying to me about me being in the mysterious Bitter Springs was true, and about protecting me from being shot at from Craig. But, there is still more I wanted to know about my past with him and Craig. _A lot more..._

"Hey, Crimson," Veronica shouting my name snapped me out of my trance. "we better ge going if we are going to venture on foot."

"On foot?" I raised an eyebrow, walked away from Corwin to meet up with the rest of my companions. "What do you mean on foot?"

"Unfortunately the Crimson Caravan Company can't let us lend one of their Brahmin." Terence walked over to Veronica's side. "so, I've nominated Mr. Willis to carry the carriage while the rest of us walked along side him. With our weight in the carriage, Mr. Willis is incapable of pulling the carriage with just brute strength alone."

"I get to help people. Yay!" Willis cheered, grabbing the two wooden poles to lift the front portion of the carriage up.

"That means leaving that Legionary behind, Ms. Courier." Arcade pushed his glasses up. "It would be less of a leverage to have him around while the atmosphere is filled with such unwanted hostility if he sticks around."

I shook my head from side to side. "As much as every one of you wanted me to kick Corwin out to the curb, but I for one think we should bring Corwin along on our trip to the Mojave Outpost."

"Then I am keeping my distance..." Craig growled, moving his face towards the other direction. I guess I even pulled a bigger nerve on him.

"An' 'ow are ya goin' t' do that, Crims?" Eric dropped the filter part of his cigarette onto the ground. "Once he sets foot on th' outpost, he's nothin' but NCR's movin' target. Like Recon, fer example."

"Well, I have my own reasons as to why Corwin should tag along." I replied. "But right now we need to start moving if we are ever going to head southwest of the Mojave. But, you guys are going to have to trust me on this. No matter how pissed off you can be towards me, be that all you want, I don't care." I turned my back towards my companions and started walking away from them. Maybe with a nice walk, I can probably vent out whatever build up of rage I have within me before things get worse.

* * *

_-Craig-_

_Why, Crimson? _I kept my face looking the other direction after my so called courier companion go off and help that damn Legionary instead of leaving him to the dogs. What's even more fucked is how she decides to welcome the bastard into the circle. Well, over my fucking dead body he'll venture with us!

"Mr. Solder," I saw the doc blocking my view from where Crimson is positioned several feet from the carriage. "I believe this might help you with your arm for a while." He injected some of the Stimpak contents onto my shoulder, only one-third of the liquids. "I hate to say this, but you're going to have that sling on you for the next five hours and let the medicine do its work. As in no punching or holding your armament."

Great, now I can't use my good arm to punch the fucking daylights out of that bastard! "Thanks..." I replied in defeat, pushing myself off of the carriage so the new addition, a ghoul super mutant hybrid, can pull it while the rest of us walk towards our destination to the Mojave Outpost.

The Legionary recruit caught up to my walking pace once I got near his boundaries. "She's going to have to know someday, assassin." I saw him turning his head to have those disgusting hazel eyes piercing right at me from the corner of my eye. "You can't hide her away from the truth."

"Know about what?" I growled, not making an eye contact with him.

"That day in Bitter Springs four years ago," just the mention of that cursed place from him got me really ticked. "and how you almost killed her on the spot."

I stopped immediately and turned my head at him with my eyes wide open. "What are you fucking talking about!? I never seem nor knew of her back then! You must be mistaken by someone else that looks like her."

The recruit sneered at me. "Or do I? Maybe you haven't looked inside the box when you have your scope spotted her head from a decent distance. Soon the past will come back to haunt _you_, assassin. And soon, you'll began to endure the same pain I've been dealing with for the past four years, except it's about that courier lover of yours." He started chuckling under his breath as soon as he walked away from me. I also noticed the traveling merchant handing him the leather texture armor for him to change out of the Legion attire. "Fine, I'll take it..." He whined as soon as he snatched it off of his hands.

I looked back at that day four years ago after the massacre happened, I was the first to run up towards the camp to find any more survivors lurking around and running as soon as the main troop left. I saw that guy with the caravan outfit, head all covered with a wide brimmed hat, face mask and dark tinted goggles turning at my direction with the barrel portion of my rifle. But that can't be Crimson nor does that person look anything like her. Maybe that damn bastard was trying to play with my mind like he had with Crimson's. I shook my head a few time to avoid the Legionary fuck's words buried into my mind before I continued walking with the battalion. _Crimson, whatever your reason as to why you've recruited that bastard, you better have a good explanation. I would hate to have my heart broken if you decide to side with the enemy._

_I love you too much to have you as my enemy..._

* * *

After nearly three hours of walking from the Crimson Caravan Company, we traveled through the broken road of highway 95 and follows our way through there. The blistering sun shining down on us, fucking sweating because of the dark clothing and leather material I am wearing. Just wish the Mojave Outpost has a much more shorter distance than this. Well, there is, but if we were to take I-15, we would be walking across Deathclaw Central.

_Gurblublub..._

I felt my stomach growled, hell it even rattled against my leather armor to much to my surprise. "Ugh..." I groaned while I raised my arm against my empty stomach. I haven't ate anything since I left the Atomic Wrangler.

Willis, the ghoul mutant hybrid, began to slow down a bit. His panting was pretty audible for us to hear. "Please..." He huffed. "can we...stop for...a moment..." He dropped the front part of the carriage down and fell flat on his huge torso. "I'm hungry..." He whined.

"You're telling me," Veronica replied with her hands behind her hood. "I'm do hungry, so can eat a Bighorner. Isn't there a rest stop around here where we can just sit and eat for a while?"

Terence looked the map he is holding in front of him. "Hmmm, I believe the local Gulp n' Grub rest stop is nearby. just not too far from here." He fold the map back into a small square. I say we make an hour rest and help ourselves some lunch."

"Shoooowhee!" Eric whistled. "Glad I'm not gonna scuff m' soles t" th' bone fer th' next few days. Let's git us some steaks!"

"I prefer Iguana bites," Veronica giggled while helping Willis up back to his feet. "though the aftertaste is a bit overpowering, but I always top it off with a nice baked potato and Nuka-Cola!"

"Well," Simon spoke with his plasma rifle resting on his right shoulder. "if there is any edible grub for us to munch on, I hope that'll give us enough energy for all of us to continue with what we need to do. I hate to keep my boss waiting for a long periods of time. Especially Jean-Baptiste, right rookie?"

I remained silent as soon as we got to the small area with a shack, a couple of booths, a few wooden tables and Brahmin. I wish I can at least speak one word to them, but I still have tha knot in my stomach after recruiting Corwin, now in a different armor than his Legion attire, into our group. What's worse is having Craig really pissed at me for doing that. "Yeah..." Was all I can say once we all settled in.

"Something wrong, Ms. Courier?" I noticed Arcade walking beside me using his left index finger to push his glasses up. "I see a dark cloud hovering your amnesiac head of yours."

I eyed back at the doctor, pulling both my eyebrows together into one line. "Dark cloud over my head? It's pretty sunny outside with a few clouds in the sky." Whatever Arcade is talking about, it sure confused me. "Actually, never mind Arcade. Knowing your smartass nature and trying to decipher what you're trying to tell me, I am not in the mood to speak to anyone right now."

I heard a small chuckle echoed out if the doctor's throat. "Is it about your concern with Mr. Soldier and your decision to have Mr. Recruit accompany us?"

"I said I don't want to speak to anyone right now!" I yelled at him, making everyone else turned to look at me. "Get the fuck off my back!" I really don't need anyone to remind me of both the snipers of opposing factions within a few feet from each other. I walked over to the shack and leaned my back against the wall next to the door.

Everyone got to their seats on the wooden tables after ordering their selected meals to eat, except for me, Craig and Willis. "So, anybody want to talk about something while we wait?" Terence spoke while holding a water bottle.

"I got one." Corwin answered immediately, crossing his arms over his new armor. "How about we all talk about the time the NCR positioned at Bitter Springs four years ago!? I'm highly curious about that kind of subject."

The fuck!? Why would Corwin do that knowing Craig wouldn't mention a single word about that place I don't know!? Unless he wants the NCR sniper to talk about the atrocities that happened during that time. But the question is: Why did Craig and the sniper division shoot down all those people four years ago from what my memory showed me? "Just drop it..." Craig growled before I can at least defend him.

"Bitter Spring..." Azrael spoke, standing beside Terence. "I remember that place was gunned down by the NCR, a bunch o-"

"I SAID DROP IT!" Craig yelled. "ONE WORD OUT OF THAT, AND I WONT HESTITATE TO USE MY RIFLE AND SHOOT ALL OF YOU DOWN!"

Arcade cleared his throat. "If you've forgotten, I told you to not use your arm in any way such as punching or drawing out your weapon for the next five hours. You need to let the Stimpak do it's work until then. But until then, since you're one of the soldiers that was involved in that event, what happened?"

"Guys, don't push him." I warned, since I was the one that was reminded by Craig himself to never mention that place to him whatsoever. Seems like I am the only one that has to defend the soldier. "He doesn't need to to tell you anything if he's not comfortable talking about it. Just l-"

"We won..." Craig groaned, exhaling out his nostrils.

Everyone went silent for a while. "That's it? You won?" Simon asked.

"Look, we might have been traveling for a while," Craig spoke to everyone. "but we are not in the lines of being comrades-in-arms. I'm not ready to swap war stories. Not only that, reminding me about Bitter Springs is a big N-O to me. Let's just change the subject..."

"Why's that, asesino?" Corwin glared at Craig from the table. "Don't you want to remember the time you almost shot a wandering civilian in those campgrounds," I saw him turned to me. "right?"

I snapped my head at Corwin with my eyes bugged out. I wish he could just heed Craig's warning instead of furthering the subject. Although, knowing Corwin's past involving Craig, I doubt he'll ever let go. "I don't know what you're talking about..." I lift myself off if the wall and walked off towards the open area near the back if the shack. I really need to vent for a bit before I lose my mind from Corwin.

"Crimson, wait." Craig spike, but him alone is not enough for me to stop walking.

Can't believe I go against everyone's complaints and brought that Legionary with us, how fucking stupid of me. I heard another set of footsteps training behind me as soon as I stopped several feet from the shack. Slowly grabbing my laser rifle, I quickly brought it out of its holster and turned to to aim it at the nearly immobilized Craig. I had to gulp from aiming at my companions. "Uhhh..."

"How about I aim my gun at you for a while, see how you like it!" He growled under his breath.

"Hey, you've already did that once back at Novac, so we're even!" I kept glaring at those eyes filled with spite, making me shrink with intimidation. "Sorry..." I lowered my weapon down from his face. "just heard some footsteps from behind me. Didn't know that it could be you." I placed my laser rifle back into its holster.

Craig smiled and chuckled. "You've gotten a little better since the last time I snuck up on you. I'll give you that...for a novice at perception." He reached into his arm sling and pulled out a red apple in his left hand. "Can't let you go in an empty stomach."

I turned my head to the left. "Not hungry..." I continued walking forward towards a medium sized rock yards from the shack for me to sit. I flinched at the sight of Craig sitting next to me on the rock. "Aren't you going to eat with the others?"

"I rather not..." He answered. "One more hint of that wretched place from that bastard and I feel like popping everybody's head off their shoulders. I rather not talk about it right away, not even to you." He offered me the same apple again.

"Let me guess..." I sighed, grabbing apple off of his left hand. "you want me to make good on my promise to fight the Legion with you, is that it?" I bite off a huge chunk of the apple with my teeth.

He shrugged his shoulders, smiling a little. "I don't know. Couldn't hurt." He chuckled for a bit, but stop to have my head turned slightly to see me. "But it's still fucked up to recruit that Legion bastard into our battalion, knowing he might have some plans up his sleeve. And I hope you have a good fucking reason to do that."

I swallowed the contents down my throat so I can at least speak. "I rather not discuss it with anyone else. They might assume I am part of the Legion if I told them he popped up in my memory." I released a sigh from my lungs. "But, only you I can trust...hopefully."

"You're like me, in a way." Craig nod his head to the side. "But you haven't answered my question."

I turned my head to meet his gaze. "Look, don't take this the wrong way, Craig. But..." I lowered my eyes to the ground while blowing some wind through my nose. "I need answers about my past...why he is involved, and why mentioned Bitter Springs before we left the Crimson Caravan Company. This whole subject about it is leaving a huge question mark above my head."

Craig kept himself quiet after my reasoning, turning his head towards the east. "Again, you're like me."

"Huh?" I eyed back to him.

"I am still wondering why he is in your memory since Nelson." He began. "shocking as it seems the first time that happened, but that is my sole reason why I am searching for answers from him. Even if it means using the tactics I told you on him, I won't stop until I get what I want."

"You sound determined from what I'm hearing." I hand Craig my apple, showing him the unbitten side of it. "Never knew this side of you."

Craig grabbed and examined the apple in between his fingers on his left hand. "There's a lot you don't know about me, things that I rather not mention nor talk about. And some I've already told you like Carla."

That name again...and the pain in my torso again. I don't know why I feel so different now that Craig mentioned his wife again. Almost feels like I want to throw up the apple out of my stomach. "You still have your wife in your mind even though she's deceased, right?" Guess I got no choice but to blow off some steam out of me.

"What do you mean?" Craig asked, biting on the apple.

I gulped. "You keep mentioning your wife from time to time. It's great that you still love her...but, I feel this burning sensation within my chest cavity. I didn't want to tell you about my problem mainly because of your love for her. And I-"

"Have you ever loved someone before?" He interrupted me. I looked to see Craig with his head down and face looking a little reddish than seconds ago.

"How should I know..." I glumly eyed him. "I don't remember anything before Benny shot me. What does that have to do with you loving your wife?"

Craig turned his head back towards me. "Yeah, I loved my wife, I really did."

"_Did_?" I raised an eyebrow.

He nod once. "Yeah...but, I had a talk with hunter back in Camp McCarran while you, Brotherhood and Boots went off on your mission elsewhere. I talked to him about us, how my past constantly hurting you from what he said, and the trust we have...or had."

I blinked a few times. "In other words?"

"I made myself a promise," he replied. "to change myself and start anew. Because of my past with my dead wife, and constantly talking to you about her left a huge fissure in our trust. What I'm saying is...that you're the first person since her that I've felt comfortable talking to. Feeling comfortable talking about my horrendous past that all my suicidal thoughts are vanishing." He soften up and formed a gentle smile. "If it hadn't been for you, or maybe that caravaner saving me four years ago, I don't think I would walk to this day."

"Caravaner?" I asked.

He nod once, maintaining his smile. "First time I saw him was back at Bitter Springs where that Legion bastard was at, holding some body against his. I held my rifle at that person, assuming he might be one of the inhabitants of that place only to have that piece of shit making a jump at me for killing his sister..."

I flinched back, hearing his past that coincide with mine. But how can I tell him that it was me that was at the end of his rifle!? "And...the second time?"

"He rescued me a month before I was about to leave the NCR." Craig continued. "I was ambushed by the raiders one night while walking back from Camp Forlorn Hope to McCarran. He managed to kill all of them...hell, he even used some healing powder on my scars and put a wrap around one huge gash on my right arm. He left without saying anything to me before I can show him my deepest gratitude. I even stopped searching for him after a week or two...giving up hope to say thank you."

A strange feeling traveling through me after hearing Craig and the mysterious caravan savior seems awfully familiar. My head began to throb once more, but this time it made mw clutch onto my head. "N-Not...again..." I groaned until I saw myself holding a laser rifle at one of the raiders, like what I remember back in Camp McCarran. After all of the raiders were dealt with, I looked down to see Craig with cuts on some parts of his body and face, even a huge gap on his right forearm.

_"You again, from Bitter Springs!?" _The Craig in my memory yelled. _"What the hell do you want with me!?"_

I saw myself holding a vial with the yellow powder in it, possibly the healing powder, in my left hand. Putting some of the dust onto my fingers, I tried to cover the minor scars only to have Craig swat my arm away. Baffled at his gesture, I didn't hold back. I grabbed his right shoulder and rubbed the powder on his cuts, much to his protest. I also saw myself ripping off part of the cloth from a recently killed ghoul and wrapped it around his gash, like what Craig did back at the REPCONN Test Site near Novac. I stood back up to my feet and walked away from him before I snapped my eyes open to the present time. "H-Huh!?"

"What, Crimson?" Sounds like Craig sounded worried. "Another memory?"

I turned slowly to the sniper, now finally realizing who the caravan savior is: Me. "Craig, there's something I have t-" I was about to tell him about the memory I just have, only to see a few figures moving toward our direction. "What's that?"

Craig turned around, then stood up while pulling a strange pitch black item from his big pocket on his pants leg and placed it over his eyes. "Legion! They're assassins!" He quickly lowered the device and turned to me. "We need to warn the others and tell them about it!"

"Right!" I got up off the rock and ran with Craig towards the rest of the battalion. "Guys," I shout out loud, skidding myself to a halt near the tables. "we need to get going! There are Legion assassins coming from the far east!"

"What!?" Veronica whined. "But I haven't received my Iguana bites yet!"

I glared back at Veronica. "Veronica, preventing out lives from being killed or becoming slaves to the Legion is far more important than some iguana bites! We need to get moving!"

"But," Terence spoke. "how can you tell it's the Legion?"

Craig held up the strange device he used seconds ago. "Crimson spot them from afar while she and I were sitting on that rock yards from here. I used these binoculars to determined what they are. Seems like Crimson's perception and spotting is working out well than I expected."

Arcade pushed his glasses. "A good thing too, coming from Ms. Courier. But it's sheer coincidence for them to be coming to this destination," Arcade turned to Corwin. "correct, Mr. Recruit?"

Corwin snarled at the doctor. "I told you they dispose of me after I rebelled against Caesar!"

"Then why are they coming over here if they knew you'd be here?" Veronica spoke.

"They don't know I am here!" Corwin yelled again. "If you must know, this is one of the roads that leads to The Fort. Legion use this roads to find any wandering travelers to make them as their slaves and bring them back into their camps. Mainly Legionary assassins come here to do this and even kill of any NCR soldiers off from their path, in which I-95 is dubbed 'Assassin's Road' by many of the NCR and travelers alike. I know all this because I used this road too while I was with them."

I heard a couple of bullets ricocheting through the shack beside us. Even some bullets hit the heads of the rest stop owners, killing them instantly before they could give my traveling companions their food. I turned to see five Legionaries having their guns point at us. "Oh shit, we need to run!" I yelled.

"Rookie, hand me your weapon for a second while we try to out run them!" Simon said, extending his arm out.

I quickly brought my weapon out if its holster and tossed it towards Simon while every one of us kicked our asses into gear. We ran and followed the road towards south, now trying ro find the nearest settlement to lose the assassin from make us their new slaves for their leader. "Holy tarnation, they're fast d'spite havin' metal armor 'n skirts!" Eric yelled, slipping his fingers through his spiked, brass knuckles. "Time t' give 'em hell, fellers!"

"No!" I yelled at Eric while we ran from the chasing Legion. "We keep running until we find a place to hide from them. If more come, then we gave no choice but to barge out way through."

"You might want to rethink your plan, Courier Crimson." Azrael warned, making me look forward and noticed three more Legionary assassins with their guns point at us.

We all slowed down to a stop, knowing that they've already surrounded us this time. "So, what's the new plan now, captain?" Veronica readied her Power Fist on her right hand.

Simon hand me my laser rifle back, now with a few modifications such as the front having two slots instead of one, and a scope like Craig's except more square-ish and gray. I held my weapon with both hands as I took a deep breath. "Hold nothing back!" I fired off a round at the Legion member in front of me.

* * *

_-Craig-_

Glad Crimson has the thought on attacking the Legion instead of running head first and have her head shot at. But the bad thing is that my right arm is still immobilized from being dislocated. If only the few hours is up, I can use my rifle again. But my machete would do just fine for now. "Ngh!" It's almost like a sword fight against the Legion with the centurion armor wielding the same weapon as mine. "D-Damn it, could use some assistance here!" I yelled.

Just then, a beam of red light shot onto the centurions face, making him into nothing but ash with the gold plated armor landing on top of it. Whoa, the way he was shot and the red beam appearing like in the past...déjà vu. "I got your back, Craig!" Crimson shout, having her back against mine.

"Yeeehaw!" I saw hunter landing a punch on one of the assassin's gut, but not enough to push him down. "Fuck, this guy's helluva fighter!" The two kept exchanging punches ne after another.

"Shit, there are more coming!" The Legion bastard yelled from behind me. While Crimson has her weapon aimed and fired at a steadfast Legionary, I turned towards the south and noticed five more coming with spears and Super Sledges. "We can't ward off this many!"

"Well, if you hadn't been tagging along with us, none if this would've happened!" The doc yelled, aiming a small pistol at the one with a dog's head as headwear.

"Shut up, asshole!" The bastard yelled just when he twist one of the heads of one of the members quickly. "I told you they don't know that I am with you guys!"

"Shit, I'm cornered!" Crimson's coworker has two Legionnaires throwing their spears at him. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" With just those fighting against one with a slow shooting gun, I doubt he'll pull through.

"HRAAAAAAH!" The ghoul mutant hybrid suddenly ran to one of the recruits with a helmet on on and grabbed it by the ankle. He hit the Legionary three times on the broken road, lift him up one last time before slamming him down about eight time. "Hmph, puny killer..."

The katana wielding bodyguard, now in a some stealth suit with a yellow mask covering on the front bearing a skull insignia on it, sliced one of the arms from one of the Legionary that was fighting off against the Silver Rush bodyguard. "We can't defend ourselves longer if more are going to appear!"

"Ms. Crimson, do you have any alternatives?" The caravan merchant shout, aiming his pistol at one Legionary fighting against hunter.

"I have the NCR Emergency Radio with me, I'll radio in back-up!" Crimson asked, bringing out her own NCR Emergency Radio she got from the 188 Trading Post. "NCR, I repeat, NCR! This is courier Crimson of Battalion 21 with an urgent request for back-up, immediately!" There was a small pause, followed by a gasp. "Look out, Craig!" I was too busy machete fighting with another Legionary when I notices a shadow coming towards mw with a Super Sledge. I turned around to witness the flat surface of the weapon hitting the right part of Crimson's head. I didn't see any more movement coming from the courier after she land on the ground.

"Crimson!" I yelled once I shoved the assassin a foot from me before stabbing my weapon into his chest. I went to reach my rifle with my right arm, but I've forgotten all about the damn sling."Oh fuck this!" I yanked the sling off my right arm, running over to the Legion who knocked Crimson out, grabbed his neck and shoved him down to the ground. I wish I can heed to the doctor's instruction regarding my right arm, but this is fucking urgent. "How." I growled once I started landing punches in the Legionary's face. "Could. You. Hurt. MY. CRIMSON!?" My mind went so blank from rage building up in me, I began to feel like my body is on autopilot. Like what I've did back in the military. I kept pinching the asshole's face again and again and again until both his face is unrecognizable and my hands are covered in his dirty blood.

"Hop shit, pardner! Nice punchin'!" Hunter land one final punch with his spiked, brass knuckles on another member's face. "Look out, Recon!"

I turned around to see one Legionary running, grabbing the super sledge from the ground as he made his way towards me. I don't think I am capable enough to block that huge melee weapon with just my hands. "Guess I got no choice." I raised my right arm up quickly for my rifle but I noticed a small, dark green gecko with some metal armor and red bandana leaping onto the Legionary's face, clawing and scratching it. "Huh?"

"Keep it up, Kip!" A feminine voice from the past echoed front the southeast direction.

"Natalie!" Brotherhood squealed. "Long time no see, buddy!"

"Natie!?" Hunter yelled. "What're ya doin' 'ere!?"

"Stop calling me that, Eric!" Boots, or Private Natalie Sanders, yelled out, stabbing one of the Legion with her switchblade. "I received the distress call from Crimson through my radio when I was just near the Grub n' Gulp rest stop. I'm quite surprised I heard gun fighting from far off in the distance. But what happened to Crimson!?"

I walked up to the knocked out Crimson on the ground, turning her over to her back. "One of the Legion knocked her out with one of those melee weapons. She hadn't gone back up since then."

A few more gun shots were heard behind me, seeing Boots kneeling down and placed two fingers on the courier's neck. "A slight pulse, but she's still unconscious. You need to get her to the nearest settlement, 1st Recon. Don't try to look back and help the rest of our battalion, Crimson's life is important!"

_She's right, Crimson's life is important! _With the help from Boots, we quickly picked the unconscious courier onto my back with my arms holding tight under her legs. "I'll be in Novac, everyone!" I shout at the battalion. "Look for the big, Dino statue!" I began to run with Boots beside me with her shotgun in her hands.

"Kip," Boots called to her gecko pet. "come along! We need to escort 1st Recon and Crimson to a safe haven!" Once the gecko leaped and cling onto her left shoulder, the both of us made a run for it away from the rest of the battalion fighting against the rest of the assassins. "Who knew there would be more of the Legion here in I-95's Assassin's Road than before." She mumbled to herself.

I hate to say, but I am please that a low ranked NCR soldier was nearby to assist the battalion. But it was Crimson that send the distress call, and without her making a quick-thinking decision, we would've been goners. "I know..." I growled, pushing my legs to the max through the highway that leads towards my former settlement. Thinking about the unconscious courier on my back, I've tried so hard to fight the tears stinging my eyelids. _Crimson, please wake up! I think it's time I tell you about Bitter Springs_


	51. Chapter 50 - Linked

**_-((Quest Break))-_**

_-Craig-_

"Do you know how long she'll be like this, doc?" I sat on the long, white sofa beside the queen-size bed Crimson is currently lying on. After the Legion ambushed us nearly an hour ago, we managed to escape with minor injuries. Well...almost all of us. One of the Legionaries used one of his Super Sledge to try to knock me out, only to have my fellow courier friend act as a scapegoat for my protection. It's great that she protected me, but it fucking hurts how Crimson hasn't woke up from her unconsciousness for the past half hour.

The Followers of the Apocalypse doctor used his stethoscope near Crimson's collarbone, trying to listen to her heartbeat. "She's still breathing, her heart rate is slow, but I doubt I have the estimate on her awakening, Mr. Soldier." He took the medical device off of his head. "But a bold maneuver Ms. Courier attempted to provide protection for you, only to be the one who took the fall."

I wish I didn't have to hear what the doc said about Crimson. Just those words alone about her actions stung me twice as bad as a Cazadore's stinger. "At least she is willing to protect those close to her." I hope my choice of words drive the pain away from within me. "Even at the cost of her own life."

"But it's also her ill-advised decision to recruit a Legionary neophyte into our contingent." He turned his head at my confused expression written all over my stern structure on my face. "Pardon my assortment of words I've chose," he scoffed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "I get like that whenever I am pissed off at something I am highly not fond of, like your lover's rash decisions that went against ours."

"She's not my lover!" I stood up quickly, having both my broad hands clenching tightly into fists. "I'm getting fucking tired of hearing everyone say that she is. She's just a friend of mine, and she knows that I am married. Why can't everyone just fucking stop with that word already!?"

The doctor shook his head, crossing his arms over his lab coat while an apprehensive glare formed on him. "Friend...I beg to differ, Mr. Soldier. The tensions, the flip-outs, having each other's backs, denying even hearing of the word _lover _in any sentence you hear from anyone you and Ms. Courier come across." He briskly stepped forward and took a fistful of my shirt, yanking me close to him. "Your actions proved your words wrong, Mr. Soldier, and I am not a simple minded imbecile who believes every denying word you speak. You know that Legion recruit is just a step away from whisking her feet off the sand if you don't do anything to stop it!"

"Get your fucking hand off my shirt!" I growled under my breath. "There will be no fucking way that Legion bitch is going to take Crimson away. Even if my legs are either amputated or cut off, or my arms gone missing, I'll still crawl my way to the bastard and rip his face off with my teeth!"

"Yeah," Arcade kept his glare locked with mine. "you'll be saying that once you're dead and Mr. Recruit makes your courier cohort his bitch!"

**SNAP!**

I feel like my mind has completely shut down while I stand and stare at the doc. My blood began boiling quickly, feeling the rage steam out of my ears. I locked my hands around the doctor's neck, shoving him towards the mirror next to the door leading to the town of Novac. "Take that back!" Now he has pushed my buttons to far!

The doctor tried to gasp for air through his tightened throat. "Y-You...you're easily..." He spoke. "angered when someone...thinks badly...of Ms. Courier!" I clenched my hands tighter around gia neck, only to feel something kicked my midsection, pushing me a few feet away from the doctor. "Hmph...for a married soldier, you defend another woman." I lift my head up to see the doctor adjusting his attire. "Committing adultery towards a woman you've met nearly a week ago, I wonder what our other cohorts will say about this?"

I motioned my hand up and point at the door. "There's the exit! Go ahead and tell them, I don't care! All I care is about is making sure Crimson is safe and has pulled through her deep sleep."

The doctor nod his head, placing his left hand on the doorknob. "Tomorrow morning, I shall be making my departure back to the Old Mormon Fort from here. Tell Ms. Courier my service with her are no longer needed due to her recruitment of one of Caesar's followers." He twist the knob to opens the door for him to escort himself out. "Vale, Mr. Soldier..."

"Good riddance, we don't need you anyway..." I mumble once the door closed behind him. I'm glad he'll be out of my and Crimson's hair for a while, getting tired of him barging into our business. I turned my head to see the courier still lying in one place, not even shoving the doc to the mirror wasn't loud enough to wake her up. "Crimson..."

_She's going to have to know, assassin. You can't hide the truth from her. _The words the Legion fuck told me hours ago got me thinking. Should I be telling Crimson what had happened four years ago, letting myself dig through the memory graveyard and pulling up its coffin I cast aside? Bitter Springs was one of the reasons why I have these damn problems inside my mind during my time in the military. And that bastard there, he was a Great Khan back then, but why a Legion now? Why did he appeared four years later and tell me that Crimson was near the aftermath of that massacre?

"Crimson..." I walked to the side of the bed and sat down carefully with myself facing her. I placed my right against her left cheek, caressing her cheekbone with my thumb. "I don't know if what that fuck said was true, I wont let his words alone tear my companionship away from you." I leaned myself forward, placing my lips against her forehead gently before touching mine against the spot. "I'll keep waiting for you here until you wake up. And once you do, I will talk to you about Bitter Springs. You're the only person I trust out of all our traveling companions we've been waking with. And..." I lift my head back up to see her peaceful face, feeling my lower eyelids filling up with tears each second I eyed the courier. "damn it, what if that bastard and the doctor are right?" I whispered as I let my tears land on Crimson's cheeks. "Have I started to feel like you're becoming my lover?"

* * *

_Running..._

_Why am I running? What am I running away from? Where am I running to?_

My breath heavy, my legs sore and numb from running through an unknown, empty area. Full of sand, rocks, dried up plants, I have completely no idea where I am at. My mind is completely blank, except for something telling me to 'run'. But where am I away from and where am I running to?

_Run! Don't look back!_

I kept hearing those words somehow, but who was the one that said that to me? _Run? Where to? _I tripped over something hard against my left ankle, making me tumble several times onto the hot ground that caused some scrapes and burns inflicted on my arms and legs. I even feel a throbbing sensation on my ankle seconds after I fell. "Aurgh..." I groaned.

Pushing myself up with my frail and burned arms, I turned my head and opened one of my eyes to see some four-legged creatures walking slowly towards me, their mouths opened showing some white fangs. I sat up on my bottom, trying to scoot away from whatever those things are feet from me. I was too scared to even yell for help nor have the strength to get back up on my feel. I feel petrified, knowing that this might be the end for me. One of the animals ran up to me and opened its mouth, but its head exploded feet from me that caused an ear-piercing scream escaping my lungs.

"Get back!" A voice hollered followed by another noise. "Get back!" Some dots appeared on different places on those animals, while the rest scurry away from where they were at. "Those damn dogs, wish Papa Khan can keep them on a shorter leash." Someone said from behind me before appearing within my sights. He twist his head, showing his fair skin tone, hazel eyes, jet black short hair swept back wearing a black thing over his white shirt with a strange drawing on the back saying "Great Khans". "Hey, are you okay, wastelander?" He held a hand out at me.

_Wastelander? What is that? _I glared at the stranger blankly, still shaken up and horrified by the near-death experience. I raised my hand up and grabbed his, having the unknown figure pulled me slowly to my feet. I wish I can show my gratitude to the stranger, but nothing is trying to escape my lips.

"Never seen you before around this part of the wasteland." The guy spoke, putting some kind of weapon on his back before folding his arms over his torso. "Glad I managed to come here at the right time before you became dog meat. Why're you over here anyway without a weapon?"

What should I say to him? Yeah, he did save my life from those dog things he told me, but whatever is in my empty mind got me apprehensive if I should run from him or stay. "I...don't know..." I squeaked. "All I remember is waking up against a rock with these kind of...whatever it is..." I pulled some of the strange, dirtied cloth on me and eyed it. "next thing I know, something somewhere was telling me to run. But, I don't know where?" I scratched my head, feeling a bunch of small balls of my hair and little items stuck everywhere in it. "Huh?" I kept on feeling my hair with both of my hands.

"Hmm..." The stranger lowered his big black brows. "you sure stick out like a sore thumb with your hair being so long like that. It's all knotted up with twigs, dirt, and such." He reached into some small sack attacked to his left hip, grabbing a sharp, metal object with a black, plastic handle on the end. "Glad I brought scissors with me in case I ever get any knots."

"W-What...what are you going to do to me!?" I flinched a foot back from the stranger holding the metal object. "I don't know what you're going to do with that thing, please don't hurt me!"

The figure raised a hand up, curling both sides of his lips slightly while his eyes glared right at me. "I'm not going to kill you, I promise." He walked around me so he cstand behind me. Feeling a little tug on the center of my head, I heard some kind of snipping sound. "See, not so bad. All I am doing is shortening your hair so it won't pose a problem to you in the long run. And sheesh, I've never seen hair that goes down to the back before." He continued to tug more of my hair, more snipping sounds from behind me and feeling my head getting a little lighter.

I don't know about this. Why is this stranger doing this to if I don't even know who he is!? Well, whatever the reason might be, I hope it's not going to kill me. "Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, feeling my hair being tugged some more.

"I just wanted to help," he spoke, hearing his footsteps moving through the dirt to my view. "I love to help other in their time of need. It's pretty much in my nature..." He laughed a little, placing the scissors back into his sack. "Well, I did manage to cut most of the knots and twigs off your hair," he held up some long, metal object from the holder close to my face. "I hope I did a good job..."

I eyed my now shortened hair that reaches onto the base of my shoulders. Amazed at how I look, I can see my face turning red. "I..." I was about to express my gratitude to him, but he quickly brought his long item back into his holder before kneeling down with some big sack from his back on the ground open. He brought out some rolled up clothing and reached it up to me. "Umm..." I grabbed it with both of my hands. "what's this?"

"I think you need a new set of clothing." The stranger got back up to his feet, slinging the sack back on his back. "You don't want any raiders of Fiends to make you their next killing target just by one look at how you dressed right now." He turned around to have the drawing face me. "I'll make sure to look the other direction while you go change behind that rock."

"Umm..." I gulped, seeing the huge rock feet from me. "Thank you...uhh..."

"Corwin," he spoke. "Corwin Paz of the Great Khans. You?"

"I don't know if I have a name..." I clenched the clothing tightly in my hands. "I can't remember anything prior to my awakening."

"Well," Corwin spoke. "because of your hair color, a very unique color I've never seen before in my life, how about Crimson until you find your real name?"

For the first time, I actually did the same gesture Corwin dis with his lips: curling both sides up. "I can live with that until I figure out who I am." I turned my back towards Corwin's back so I can get onto some different clothing he offered.

* * *

"So, where are we going again?" I asked Corwin while we walked through a long road far off the east. After quickly changing into a blue, baggy long sleeved shirt, tan pants, a big hat, and a red cloth tied around my neck, Corwin decided we head over to a certain place he mentioned just a while ago...which I can't seem to remember what he said.

"I'm going to see my sister, Maylene." Corwin answered, walking beside me. "She's now resting up at a Great Khans encampment called Bitter Springs, a place where all the sick, wounded, and the elderly are there to be treated. My sister has been sick with an fatal disease for a few years, and it might kill her at a young age if she don't have the proper antidote."

I glared at Corwin, feeling my heart sank for some reason. "Oh...I'm..." I turned my head towards the ground. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

"Hpmh," I looked back at the Great Khan, seeing a smile formed on his face. "Don't be." He rummage through his pocket for a small tube with some strange substance in it. "This vial contains the exact ingredients to yelp cure the disease from my sister. It took me a few years of begging to have the Followers of the Apocalypse concoct this." I noticed a little drop dropping down his face. "Finally, I can cure her sickness and take her back home once and for all." There was a small growling noise coming from Corwin, then me. "O-Oh, all this excitement about my sister sure got my hungry!"

Now I'm confused. "Umm...where do you live? Sorry if I seem so-"

"Nosey?" He cut me off. "Actually, it's great that I am walking beside someone and talk about anything I wanted to talk about. Though, I wish the NCR are the same way..."

"NCR? Never heard of that..." I said.

Corwin shook his head, making a grunt through his throat. "The New California Republic, a bunch egoistical megalomaniacs. Their military prowess is sloppy, their leadership is shitty, and their president likes to make sure all of his followers suck his dick just to male sure order in the Mojave is regulated." He took out two red, round items out of his sack. "Here, have an apple. We shouldn't be walking on an empty stomach."

"Thanks." I took the apple item off of his hand. "Sounds like you hate this NCR thing."

Corwin shook his head while holding the other item in his hand. "Not really. The NCR and the Great Khans are really not in good terms with each other. Papa Khan told me that the NCR annexed their original settlement far off north of here. Damn president wanted his military power to grow and flourish as what Papa Khan told me, but I consider that as a devastating plague waiting to wipe out every wastelander here." He turned to me. "I'd watch my back with those guys if I were you, Crimson."

I nod once before taking a bite at the apple item. "Are we close to you sister now?" I asked with the particles in my cheek.

"Yes, we a-" Corwin was interrupted by some ongoing popping noises happening in the distance. "What the!? That's coming from Bitter Springs!" He rummage through his pocket for some eyewear and hand it to me. "Here, cover this over your eyes, and use that red bandana around your neck to cover the rest of your face. We can't let anyone track you down if they see your face!" He started to run.

I took the eyewear and placed it over my eyes. Hell, the lenses pretty much shield my eyes from the bright sun above. I placed the red cloth over my mouth like Corwin said for me to do, before I try to catch up to him. "What's going on?"

"Gun shots, multiple ones." Corwin spoke. "Who could ever invade Bitter Springs now!?" The both of us kept running the rest of the stretch of land towards some incline between a bunch of rocks. I also hears so e screaming an yelling happening further towards the hill. "Stay here! I'll go check it out!"

I stopped myself midway through the hill, letting Corwin run up alone to whatever is happening ahead of here. But something from within me made me...curious. I continued up the rest of the hill to whatever this Bitter Springs place is, hearing a bunch of popping noises echoing from there. "Corwin?" I yelled, seeing a full view of everything that left me in a state of something worse than becoming dog food. A bunch of lifeless people with gunshots, cuts, and blood everywhere- some with clothing like mine before I changed, even some with an unrecognizable type of brown armor and headwear with a symbol of a two headed animal on the torso. There was even spots of blood on some of the tents.

"FUCKING NCR SCUM!" I heard Corwin yelled once I caught sight of him shooting down a few people with the strange armor. "DIE YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" He used his long, metal object and stabbed the guy on the throat, pushing the limping body down to the ground with blood pouring out of the cut. "MAYLENE!?" Corwin dropped both of his weapons to the ground, whipping his head around in a frantic motion. "MAYLENE, ARE YOU HERE!? Oh, Dios, espero que no te maten!" Tears began to pour as he placed both his hands up onto his frizzy hair.

"B-Brother!?" A small girl, looking almost like Corwin, limped her way toward Corwin with her hand held on a bloody spot. "Brother...what happened!?" She began coughing when she got close to Corwin.

Corwin knelt down on one knee and firmly placed his hands on the girls shoulders. "E-Everything will be alright, sis. Don't worry, I'll make sure to carry you out if this place and have the doctors patch you up. I even got the cure for your sickness!"

The girl coughed some more on her brother. "Y-You think so, Corwin?"

Corwin nod his head at her. "Si, mi hermana! If you can take the antidote right now, you'll no longer have that sickness anymore, thanks to the Followers of the Apocalypse!" He dropped both of his hands down from his sister's shoulders to the small bag on his left hip, bringing out the vial with the substance in it. "Maylene," he looked at his sister. "Take this quick!"

"O-Okay." She said, reaching her left hand towards the vial. But something zipped past me, having a small hole appear on the side of the girl's face, making her fall down to the ground with the vial still in her hand. "C-Cor...win..." She whipered.

"Maylene!?" Corwin's eyes widen while staring at the now motionless child on the ground. "No...no no no no NO!" He picked her up carefully in his arms. "You..." His voice shook. "you're so close...in breaking through your illness. Why would the NCR do this to you!" He then pulled her close to him, cradling the dead body as he weep. "Mi hermana..."

I walked up to him in silence, feeling such a heavy feeling inside my chest. "Corwin...Im so sorry this has happened to you...who could've done this!?"

"The NCR..." Corwin kept his head low and eyes closed. "they did this! They killed all of these innocent people here! But why would they do this!?" He lift his head up to see me, but his face started changing dramatically. "Go," he yelled. "you've got to get out of here!"

I was about ro ask why he would say that, until something round touched the back of my head through my hat. "Stay still!" My heart skipped a beat as I turned slowly to see a guy with glasses, some red headwear, and some different armor with a patch on both sides of his shoulders showing a skull with two weapons behind it in an X formation. "Take one inch from me and I'll shoot!" He growled, but his head twitched ro one side, making him lower his weapon down. "Oh no..." He spoke.

"YOU ASESINO!" Corwin appeared in front of me with both of his hands around the guys neck. "HOW COULD YOU KILL MY SISTER LIKE THAT!?" He sound a lot more different than a few seconds ago.

"Y-Your sister!?" The guy tried to talk through his clenched neck. "I-I didn't...know...a-about this! N-Nor...killed her!"

"BULLSHIT," Corwin yelled at him. "I SAW YOU KILLED HER FROM AFAR! YOU FUCKING NCR SOLDIERS DESERVE TO GO TO HELL FOR KILLING MI HERMANA!" And at that moment, Corwin connect his clenched hand onto the other guy's face, making him tumble down before turning to me. "You need to leave, now! I'll make sure to find you once I an done with this murderer!" The other guy wrapped his arms around Corwin's neck, making him gag for air. "R-Run, d-don't look back!"

What should I do!? I wish I can help out Corwin from this guy, but just looking at that NCR guy made my spine shiver. "G-GO! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Corwin threw the guy down to the ground, landing several punches at his face before getting punched too.

I can only glare the two fighting each other for a good few minutes until the same voice echoed the same word it said. _Run, don't look back! _I ran passed the two, making my way down the same incline me and Corwin walked up. _Why am I here? What is my purpose of being here with no memory prior to my awakening? Where am I running to?_

_Running...darkness..._

* * *

I snapped both of my eyes wide open, eyeing at the ceiling within some dark room i have completely no idea where I am currently at. "Ngh..." I groaned, moving my hand up to where the Legion assassin hit me with his huge hammer-like weapon. "Where am I?" I murmured, feeling the déjà vu kicking in from when I first woke up in Goodsprings. I turned my head toward my right, seeing Craig sleeping, or snoring, on the white couch beside the bed. _Good...I'm back to reality... _I sat myself up on the bed, seeing most of the padding and metal plates for my attire sitting on the table to my left. "I wonder who took those off of me..."

"Crimson?" My heart skipped a beat from hearing my name being called from Craig behind me. I twist my head back to see Craig having his eyes opened right at me. He formed a slight, relieving smile at me. "Glad you're alive and kicking."

"Craig?" I chirped, lowing my eyebrows in confusion. "How long have I been out?" Right now, judging by the darkness in the room it seems like I have been gone for a while.

"Seven hours..." He answered as he got up to a sitting position on the couch.

I paled immediately. "S...Seven hours!?" I felt a wave of dizziness overcoming my wellbeing for a bit. "Ugh..." I caught myself with my left arm before I fell back onto the bed.

"Don't try to work yourself up after you just woke up from a coma." He spoke. "But, I'm surprised you're still alive after that assassin struck you on the head with that Super Sledge. Everyone managed to kill off or drive them out of where we were at while Boots helped me get you here in Novac."

"Wait!" I yanked the covers off my lower half so I can hang them over the edge of the bed. "Natalie was with you!? When did she appeared!?"

"Right after the Legion assassin knocked you out." Craig replied, leaning back against the couch. "She managed to catch your distress call while she heard gunshots from the Gulp n' Grub rest stop. I was the one that held you on my back while Boots and I head here as a little sanctuary until you wake up from your coma. My running was a little off, but glad training in the military definitely build up the endurance."

Heat brushed against my face, hearing how Craig was the one that brought me here...of all people. "Thanks..." I lowered my eyes to the floor below me. The whole memory of me meeting Corwin before the tragic evens at Bitter Springs is what's in my damaged mind right now. And as much as I want to talk to Craig about it, but I don't want him to be pissed at me for reminding him. "Craig..." Great, can't believe I am doing this to him. "there's something I wanted to talk to you about..."

"Odd..." Craig fold his arms over his chest. "I was thinking the same thing, actually. Believe me, it took a lot of thinking...but..."

I had to say it... "I want to talk to you about Bitter Springs."

We both went dead silent automatically. Staring at each other from the words _we _spoke together, this is highly awkward in my books. "You...you do!? But why, Craig? Didn't you say how much you don't want anyone mentioning that place despite how much of a massacre it is!?"

Craig twitched, his eyes widen some more. "W-What!? How do you know about the Bitter Springs Massacre!?"

"This might sound stupid. Craig..." I gulped. "but I was there when it happened..."

"You...!?"" He breathed, but his face shifted to a more angered one at me. "That can't be true. I never seen you in Bitter Springs other than that caravaner and the Legion bastard holding a child in his arms. How ca-"

"I was there Craig, no fucking doubt about it!" I interrupted him, feeling my eyes stinging from the tears forming. "Four years ago, in the memory I have while I was in a coma, I was wearing that kind of attire while I was walking with Corwin to meet his sister with a cure for her disease. The reason why you didn't know it was me was because my face was covered with a dark tinted goggles and a red bandana over my nose and mouth." The tears began to pour out of my eyes. "Corwin gave them to me after I got attacked by a group of dogs. Hell, he even suggested a name for me while I am still trying to fond out who I really am."

"Strange how a Great Khan Legion fuck was the one that gave you that name." Craig huffed while eyeing to the right, not a hint of interest shown in his eyes. "But, how can you be so sure that you were the caravaner back then?"

I wiped all of the fallen tears off my face. "I also saw you being outnumbered by those Fiends six to one." I noticed Craig's head twitches at my direction. "I had a laser rifle at that time, killing everyone or turning them to hot ash before treating your cuts on your left temple, center of your neck, your left bicep, and a three inch gash on your right forearm."

Again, Craig is still surprised. "How did y-"

"Memory." I answered before he can finish asking. "I pretty much have a good memory, a clear picture of where or what a specific thing or item is at. Strange..."

"So..." Craig softly spoke, making me eyed his baffled glare. "that caravan savior...the one who saved from those Fiends attacking me...that was you!?"

I nod in silence, eyeing the floor once more. "I couldn't remember how I woke up in the middle of the wasteland four years ago, only to hear something say to me to run and never look back. Yeah, I ran...only to see a horrible massacre in front of me back then while I was with Corwin back then." I eyed back at Craig again.

"Massacre..." Craig repeated the word I said. "yeah, I guess that might be the word..."

"But..." I paused for a second, hoping I won't pull a nerve on him. "Why would you and the NCR do that?"

I noticed a very painful expression appearing all over his face. "Since we are on the same page with Bitter Springs, I can trust you with knowing what happened..." He became silence for a good minute, taking a very deep exhale with his eyes closed. "It..." He spoke, opening his eyes at me. "There was a...miscommunication..."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "That's it?" I saw Craig silently bobbing his head. "Well...that must've been one hell of a miscommunication."

He can only shrug his shoulders. "Yeah, well. That's how they wrote it up on the reports back then." He took another deep breath. "But we did what we were there to do. People got killed. That's war for you." I saw how his face harden. "Maybe looking back you'd do things differently, buts that's not how it works. In the field, you hesitate, you or someone you care about will die. They teach is that from day one."

I stared at him, but his side of what happened during that massacre sure brought up a good point. "That's true, you can't second guess what you did back there."

Craig could only shake his head. "It doesn't lead anywhere that does any good. I know that much."

"And I bet you still think about Bitter Springs a lot?"

Craig nod again. "Yeah...always. Even when I sleep."

"Well," I spoke up. "maybe it would help to go b-"

"I don't think so!" He snapped at me before I could finish. Guess I did pull a nerve... "It won't change anything. And that's definitely a memory I don't want refreshed... Believe me, I got a lot of bad things coming to me..."

"Because of Bitter Springs?" I asked.

Craig moved his head to the left, avoid any further contact from me. "Life has a way of punishing you for the mistakes you make. Big enough mistakes, punishment can take a while." He breathed deeply. "Mine's not over..."

I feel my blood boiling a little now, though I don't know why. Maybe its the words Craig have been saying that got me all worked up. "Then why can't you make up for your mistakes?" I balled both my hands into fists, trying ro maintain my rage towards the sniper.

Craig twist his back at me, his nose wrinkled with rage. "A murderer who does good deeds is still a murderer, Crimson! And he'll still get his judgement! I left the NCR when my tour was up, I had enough of war for the past several years. So, I decided I was gonna start over." He glued his eyes back onto the carpet, shaking his head with a slight growl. "None of it made a difference at the end. My punishment has yet to be over..."

I clenched my teeth tightly. "How do you know your punishment isn't over!?"

Craig eyed me again, leaning forward so his face is nearly a foot from mind. "Because I'm still alive!" He growled.

I wish I cam contain myself much longer, but I had to punch his face with my right hand and clench his neck with my left. His face full of stymie glares right up at my infuriated face. "You think death is the only solution for you to end the psychological trauma buried within your mind!?"

"Better than fucking living and sleeping day by day, having the same scenario play on repeat!" Craig growled through his clenched teeth. "If you had a mind just like mine, you'll be dealing with it too!"

Glad I didn't clench his neck so hard, I wouldn't let him speak what he would be saying now. "You're suppose to be part of the NCR, protecting the innocent and wounded out in the wastes from any intruder of hostility that might come their way! Why aren't you doing that!?"

Craig yanked my hand off of his strong throat, placing both of his hands tightly against my forearms and slammed me onto the bed. "You think that all people who murder the enemy are called saints!?" He growled, his face now inches from mine. "Even as a saint of the waste, we still murder in different ways as possible to survive out there in the Mojave. We kill for food, we kill for territory, we kill as we are ordered by our superiors, fuck...we kill for either sport or just being a mindless, killjoy, chem-filled, raiding wastelander. Whether not we choose to deny our murders from the past, its still clings onto you for the rest of your life until it eats you from the inside out! Mine has yet to devour me whole!"

"Then why can't you make it up!?" I yelled at him.

"I can't!" He yelled back at me, seeing tears dropping out of his eyelids. "I hate thinking about the past, Crimson! I fucking hate it!"

I glared back at the hurt sniper above me in silence, for a moment or two. "Craig.." I murmured, now feeling my teats pouring out of the corners of my eyes, all because I severely hurt my companion. "I-I'm...I'm so sorry...I shouldn't have pushed you too far to make you like this..."

He began to soften up, leaning further towards me with his forehead connecting with mine. I feel my breathing quickened along with his just the thought of how close our mouths are. "Don't be, Crimson. In fact, I rather be venting out my problems than to let it build up and explode within myself. Because there is someone in my mind I want to protect first. Someone I rather express my past to and never receive a painful judgement from in the long run. And...someone who I can show my love for."

"Love?" My heartbeat quickened once I opened my eyes, glaring at his shimmering green eyes. "Craig, don't you love Carla? She your wife and you're j-" Craig shut me up with his lips softly pressing against mine.

He part his lips away, but still close to where they are still touching. "Never mention that name, Crimson. I'm done with her." He brought himself back to what he was doing, causing me to slowly shut my eyes. The same feeling from yesterday night began to rise, making me wrap my arms slowly around his neck to bring him closer. The fire burning in me, roaring and building from what me and Craig are doing. Fuck, I'm surprised no one has barged into the room and interrupted us.

"Craig..." I tried to breath from the small break we made. I couldn't help myself much longer, something about me just longed for this to happen, but to a harden NCR 1st Recon widower. I wrapped my arms even tighter around him, drawing him even deeper to the connection that I have never felt before. Damn, I don't know why, but I wish this feeling won't last...

I felt Craig lift himself away from me, staring at me again with those soft eyes of his. "I can't be burying myself deeper into the past even when it involves my dead wife. You're all in my mind now, Crimson." He whispered. "Something about you...it makes me curious."

More heat formed all over my cheeks. "Curious? About me?" I spoke softly.

He nod, moving himself away from me to sit himself back on the couch. "Yeah, it's shocking to hear that from me." I got back up to see him staring at me. "But am quite as shocked at myself as you are."

"Why?" I flinched a little.

"People around this town always see me with Carla," he replied. "I've been faithful to her, stayed by her side and kept her company at her worst times of her life. But...thinking how that Legion bastard mentioned her complaining about wanting to go back to New Vegas, it dug a deep hole in me, asking myself if I had made the right choice to be with a pompous bitch who'd rather live in the big light filled with drunks and greedy gamblers..." A smile formed back on his face. "Then you came along. You're completely different from her: you're not greedy, by how you rejected my offering of caps and that ranger back at Nelson, you've made a name for yourself probably across all of the Mojave because of you assisting the NCR, and the will to protect your comrades in dire need. Carla doesn't have any of what you have now."

It's great Craig told me about how I am completely different from his dead wife, but something doesn't seem to add up. "But..." I wish I can figure out the right words to say without making this conversation too awkward. "why did you kiss me?"

Craig's face brightened up like mine have. "I already told you. There is someone in my mind who I can show my love for. That someone..." He gingerly placed a hand on my face. "is you, Crimson. The lowly courier who've I've grown attached in the past week since we've been traveling. I don't care what anyone says about you, nor how much everyone tease us about the both of us. I didn't tell you everything I've hidden inside me just to fuck around, no!"

"But why me, Craig?" I asked. "Why me of all people would tell me all of this!? What do I have that no one else has!?"

"It's called trust, Crimson." He replied. "I didn't have that with Carla...not one bit. I couldn't bring myself to tell her everything about what happened during my tour...even in Bitter Spring. My trust was not all that with her, assuming she'll just think that I am a wreck from thinking about it. But you...heh," he smirked. "I feel much more better talking to you about everything. Things are now...at ease. And...to tell you the truth...like Carla, just hearing you talk...that damn tomboyish voice of yours." He chuckled, somehow in a joking matter.

"What about my voice?" I raised a brow up. "Is there something bad about my voice?"

Craig shook his head. "No, I wanted to make sure you're still alive after every nightmare I have about you. And seeing you, it leaves me speechless but relieved that you're still present. I'll do what I can to protect you, Crimson. I vow on my last breath in this damn wasteland. Even protecting your from that bastard with a price on my head."

All of the pain, everything about regarding anything, even the mention of Carla, is now fading dramatically. Now a new feeling has formed after hearing Craig's confessions, something that is pulling towards this 1st Recon soldier of a powerhouse faction. Something...more. "Craig..." I spoke, slowly entwine my fingers with his against my face. "Something about me...is pulling me closer to you...I can't figure out what it is..."

"It's love, Crimson." Everytime I hear Craig call my name out, it made my heart beat harder. Craig dropped his hand down but kept his fingers locked with mind. "Something I've been feeling for a while. I didn't have the guts to tell you how I feel, even though we've known each other to a while..." He paused for a second. "Actually, longer than that if you can include the time I pulled my rifle at you and nearly killed by the Fiends. But after knowing it was you behind the caravan outfit, I think there is more than just love I can give to you."

"What more can you give?" I had to ask.

His cheeks became a few shades darker than it was before hand. "When the time comes...I don't want to make you uncomfortable if we were to..further our relationship. I owe you a lot for saving me. Who knew you would be my caravan savior I've been looking for...all these years." Craig showed a warm grin at me, still making my heart flutter rapidly than a Bloatfly's wings.

I don't know what is up with Craig nowadays, its really strange for him to be acting like this despite telling me his past, which he warned me not to remind me. "Craig, it's strange how you told me your past even though you told me to never ask or remind you about what had happened in your past."

"Just because I have finally warmed up to you doesn't mean you can tell everyone that." Craig warned me, his smile disappeared. "I don't want any more teasing happening from everyone else, especially that scumbag bounty hunter or worse, that Legion fuck stain."

I only rolled my eyes and shake my head a little. "Craig, I am not going to do that to you. Even through a short duration from the time we've met at the Dino statue, I learned who and what you are by observing."

"Speaking of observing," Craig chuckles a little. "it looks like you need something to eat after being in a comatose for so long. Really hate for you to get a good night rest on an empty stomach."

I nod, slipping my right hand on my growling stomach. "Yeah, last time I ate was before the Legion ambushed us from afar." Then my mind clicked an idea."Craig, can I ask you something?"

His brows twitched a little. "Sure."

"Well, since my laser rifle now has a scope attached from Simon before we left the rest stop," I spoke. "maybe you can still teach me how to snipe from afar tomorrow?"

"I am trained to both snipe and spot, Crimson. "Craig grinned again. "The NCR didn't make me part of the 1st Recon division just to use the rifle with a scope. Tomorrow morning, say...seven a.m. I'll be having my binoculars with me so I can help spot even a small mantis from 1000 feet."

"What, so you can show off again after my one hundredth failed attempt?" I giggled.

Craig responded with a middle finger..


	52. Chapter 51 - A Flame that Never Dies

**_-((Quest Break))-_**

_Fuck, I can't sleep... _Tossing and turning on the queen-sized bed for roughly five hours straight with nothing but my long sleeve short sleeve top black shirt, black pants, and my blue star bottle cap necklace, it's not making things any better for me. Not because I am having a hard time trying to fall asleep, it's about Craig. Thinking back five hours ago, and how he confessed his feeling to me, it's been buzzing all over my mind for a while. I turned to where I am lying on my belly, having my arms underneath the pillows as I eyed the back of the bed frame while I still feel the light touch of Craig's lips against mine that happened hours ago.

Craig left me to go do his night shift at the nest inside of the Dino statue after I had something to eat after a seven hour-long coma. I noticed in his expression that he didn't want to leave out of my sight, even by myself in my hotel room in hopes of having Corwin barging in here. But, after our connection, I believe we started to grown attached. _Don't mention that name again, Crimson. I'm done with her. _Those were the words he told me when I mentioned him about his dead wife, now saying that I am in his mind now.

"But why?" I feel more at eased now after we talked about Bitter Springs, and how much we showed our emotions with each other, but I still feel a hint of doubt buried inside me. Why turning away the love you have for your wife towards me even though he and I have known each other for nearly a week or so? Why the sudden confessions and change? "I guess I need to ask Craig-" I stopped after mentioning my sniper companions name, leaving a wave of heat sweep across my face.

"Hello?" I heard a few taps against my motel door, along with Corwin's voice on the other side. Normally, I would've expected Craig to be the one knocking on the door, but the Great Khan Legion...or ex-Legion recruit, is even more surprising. I kicked the covers off of my lower body and briskly sprint my way to open the door, seeing the shocked but relieved Corwin in front of me. "I was afraid you wouldn't break through that comatose hours ago. I got pretty worried..."

I raised one of my thin brows at him. "Worried? That's definitely first, coming from a Great Khan such as yourself."

Corwin's eyes enlarge. "You..." A warm smile formed on his face. "So you remembered."

I rolled my eyes at the Great Khan. "Somewhat...I only remember the time you rescued me from pack of dog after I woke up out of nowhere. And how we ran into a huge massacre that happened in Bitter Springs, seeing your sister being killed by Craig, you assumed."

Corwin's face began to shift, maybe at the mention of the former NCR sniper. "Assumed!? There was _never _a time where I _assumed _that the fucking asesino killed my sister." he grabbed a fistful of my black long sleeve short sleeve top. "I saw that bastard killed Maylene with my own eyes, a distance from where you're standing back then. And I am not going to let my sister's name die in vain as long as that fucker keeps walking!"

"Yeah," I spoke, yanking his hand off my shirt. "Craig himself doesn't want that memory of that day to refresh. He hates being reminded about that place, which is part of his psychological problems during his days in the military."

"Really!?" The Legionary growled, now using both hands to grab my shirt. "He says that now, huh!? Let me tell you, those NCR scum killed all those innocent people four years ago, and they're pretending that it didn't happened! Me and the Great Khans can never, and I mean _never_, forget that tragedy! That's why the Great Khans and the NCR are not in good terms with each other because of that, and the reason why I joined the Legion."

"Then why do you keep saying that you'll do everything to get me back!?" I yelled. "Why am I in _your _mind!?" Sheesh, first Craig, now Corwin! And I thought Pacer alone was bad...

"Because we were in a relationship back then!" He replied. "You were there to comfort me when no one else did. You stayed by my side when I was sobbing over my sister's sudden death, even agreed to be with me while I was being recruited by the Legion. Even though Vulpes told me to leave you behind, but that doesn't stop from sneaking out of The Fort to come see you." His face loosened to a trance-like glare. "Like I am doing right now."

Something about what Corwin said...I don't know if it's just a hunch that he is doing this to sever ties between me and Craig, but the only reason I recruited him is to find answers from him involving my forgotten past. I wish one of those clips can pop up in my head somehow, knowing my luck if I am ever going to experience some déjà vu. "Can you please let me go? I need to do something for a bit."

He did what I asked, but kept himself as a barricade in the doorway. "I hope it doesn't involve that murderous fuck you call a companion, Crimson." This is the first time he said my given name, other than calling me that in the past. "I am not going to let you take one fucking step out of this room and see that son of a bitch! Who knows when he'll pull the trigger on your head."

"He will not!" I hissed, tightening my jaw to make my teeth grind. "He might've done that at Bitter Springs, but I am sure as fuck he would never do that!" Unexpectedly, Corwin latched his right and on my neck, like he did last time in the abandoned Securitron factory.

"So, you're now defending that assassin, huh!?" Corwin spoke in a soft tone when within his voice he is highly pissed at me. "I guess I'll have to chain you down on the bed so you won't see that soldier again. If you wanted to escape me, it'll be over my dead corpse lying on the ground!"

"Sounds like a plan!" I saw a hand grabbing the white shirt of Corwin's, having Craig revealing himself with his cold eyes glued on the Khan. "Your body lying on the ground, motionless, is a better plan than let you have two working feet to walk in the Mojave. If Crimson here hadn't explained why she recruited you, your forehead would be a good target for me to shove one of my bullets in. Now, let go of her."

Corwin, glaring back at his bitter enemy, released his hand off my neck, causing me to cough and gasp for air. "You're lucky I am letting Crimson breath instead of being suffocated to the point of her face turning purple. There is still a lot more about me and her that you haven't know just yet. Amd, what was the reason why you haven't implanted a bullet in my head, like you did with my sister!"

I can hear Craig growled, still having his hand tightly clench on the fabric. "None of your fucking business, fuck stain! I told you four years ago that I was not the one that shot your kid sister!"

"Oh, like I haven't heard that fucking excuse before, asesino!" Corwin yanked Craig's hand off of his short quickly. "I saw you walking with your rifle raised into Bitter Springs before you point the barrel on the Crimson's head! You think I can fucking forgive you for killing my sick sister, when she was just seconds away from curing herself of her fatal disease!?"

"Then get the fuck away from my sight!" Craig began to tremble. "If you want to keep your vengeance in check, I suggest you keep a good distance away from me!"

Corwin took one last glance at the sniper before moving his attention to me. "Glad to see you awake again. I'll see you in the morning." He kept his head low, using his shoulder to shove Craig away from his path.

"Sorry about that, Craig..." I eyed the floor, hoping not to see him being pissed off at me. "I have no idea why he would mention Bitter Springs to you."

I heard Craig sighed as he turned to face me. "Don't be, it's his own vengeance and grudge against me that drove him to be like that. Even if he is involved in your memories, you're not the cause of his and my bitter hatred because of what happened in Bitter Springs. Even if you were there, but you showed no hostility towards me."

I raised my head up to see him, now calm and less aggravated. I couldn't help to contain my face burning up just by one look at him. Now that Craig showed how much he...loved me, I feel kind of different when I am near him, almost to the point of wrapping my arms around myself. "There's still more that I want to know about my past, about Corwin, about why I woke up in the middle of nowhere with no memory prior to that. I fucking hate how my eyes become shrouded by am unknown hand, keeping me from knowing what I need to know."

"Maybe in due time, Crimson." Craig placed his broad, right hand gently on my left shoulder. "Maybe another one of your memories might pop up when you least expect it."

I kinda chuckled at his comment. "Honestly, I wish one can happen right now." I chuckled some more as I scratched my messy hair. "I guess I'm too anxious to know what my past is, but if I want one to happen, who knows the chances of my headaches once it occurs again?"

I noticed me corner of the NCR brute's mouth pulled up to a smirk, moving his hand from my shoulder to my hair. "Let's change the subject." He briskly ruffled my hair, making my head move along with his hand.

"H-Hey!" I stammered. "What did you do that for!? My hair is already as messy as it is." Using both my hands, I tried my best to comb through the small knots he supposedly made while I made a disgruntled groan at him. "Sheesh, what's up with you..."

"Hmm..." Craig shrugged his shoulders. "just messing with you and your red locks. But enough of that, I want you to come with me."

"Where are you take me to?" I asked. "Is this the reason why you appeared so suddenly instead of being at the nest?"

"Yes and no." Craig chuckled again. "I'll tell you along the way."

Something's not right... "Should I be bringing my weapons with me? Hate to have another ghoul or Fiend come up from behind me."

Again, Craig chuckled. "Just bring yourself. I'll explain everything." He held his right hand out to me, offering me to come outside with him.

"Okay..." I murmured, accepting his offering as he grasped my hand gently and pulled me out of the motel room. After I made sure the door is closed, we made our way dwon the metal stairs to the bottom level when I noticed Arcade walking about in the large, open area. "Hey Arcade, strange seeing you here."

"And this will be the last time you'll be able to see me, Ms. Courier..." Arcade said, crossing his arms once we got near him, then noticed his eyes moving down. "Holding hands with Mr. Soldier, I presume?"

I moved my hand away from Craig's quickly, feeling the heat scorching my cheeks. "Wait, what do you mean this will be that last time I see you!?"

Arcade moved his glasses, showing off a stern glare at me. "My service with you is no longer needed ever since you recruit one of Caesar's followers into to circle. And you know my warning about betraying anybody when you decide to side along with the Legion, yet you disregard it like it was a spec of dirt on your shoulder."

"Arcade, I am not siding with the Legion." I hissed. "I have reasons why I chose to let him travel with us."

"And I have reasons to disband myself from your battalion." Arcade turn his back to me. "Have the best of luck with your revenge-filled mind, Ms. Courier...vale." With both his hands behind his back, he escort himself away from me and Craig, exiting through the open gateway and disappearing to the right of town.

"We don't need him, Crimson." Craig murmured. "We can find ways to patch ourselves up if we ever get injured along the way."

I huffed deeply before eyeing him. "Since he left because I recruited Corwin into our circle, are you going to do the same too?"

Craig pulled a small grin and shook his head. "Like I would ever leave since you told me the reason why you recruited that Legion fuck into our boundaries. The both of us are on the same page with him, and I like to make sure he keeps himself in the dark whenever he tries to find any reason for you to answer." He started walking ahead ahead of me. "Come on, we're walking to the bridge."

The moon shined at a skinny C shape up in the dark sky while me and Craig walked passed the Dino statue to the bridge where is connects through the road towards the Nelson. It feels strange walking through the same road me and Craig walked through the morning after I met Craig in the dinosaur statue, having the barrel of his rifle point at my head and assumed I am a Legion spy. I looked up to the sky, noticing a bunch of little, white dots flickering in a weird pattern, sometimes disappearing behind some thin layered clouds.. "So, why have you brought me here, Craig?" I lowered my head to look at the sniper keeping his pace matched with mine.

"Well..." Craig sighed, turning and walking to the right side of the bridge. I kept a good distance from him once he and I rest our arms against the six-feet concrete edge. "I've been thinking about what we talked hours ago in your hotel room."

"About Bitter Springs or your confessions?" I asked with one brow raised.

He shrugged his shoulders a little. "Maybe a little bit of both, but leaning towards the confessions." He turned his head slightly to see me. "I should warn you, I really don't want to talk about Bitter Springs...that place, it always leaves a strain in my memory everytime I am reminded of that, either Great Khans I come across, NCR soldiers like Boots, and that Legion fuck stain traveling with us. I rather just let it be..."

"I'm not forcing you to spill out your past to me, Craig." I reassured him. "You were the one that told me about the miscommunication that happened while you ran your rifle dry of bullets. Yeah, you regret doing that long ago, but-"

"Just shut up..." I noticed his hands turned into trembling fists, keeping his eyes glued to the ground feet below the bridge. "Just let it be..."

Great, another nerve pulled. "Sorry, I shouldn't have blurt that stuff out in front of you. I'll stop mentioning it from now on int you decide to feel more comfortable about it."

Craig nod but never met any eye contact with me. "Better choice to do if you don't want a bullet in your head."

I nod, keeping myself silent while I glanced at the horizon far from where he and I are standing. I can tell Craig is less edgy and more calm than before now that he has let out of everything that was buried deep within himself, but he still shows a side if he does hear about that place four years ago. I would really hate to see him becoming a short-fused time bomb around me or our traveling companions. "Craig, a-about those confessions..." I murmured, hoping I can change the subject before Craig lose himself.

"What do you mean?" Craig asked.

I took a deep breath. "Why do you act like you got something to hide whenever you're around everyone, but when it's just the both of us, it feels like you decided to spill out some top secret NCR intel that even the generals wish to kill if they get into the wrong hands?" I don't know how that metaphor would work, but I must have some answers.

"I..." he began. "I'm..." He scratched the back if his shaved head underneath the edge of his red beret. "Sorry, I'm not an open book...unlike the Brotherhood person and scumbag of a bounty hunter. But, you know me, I keep things to myself."

"That's a fact..." I blew a raspberry through my lips. "even if anybody wants to know about you, you just turn your head and walk away from any conversation." I turned myself around, having my back against the barrier while folding my arms over my torso. "But you've seem to have opened yourself a bit to me."

"Like I said I don't know how many times, Crimson!" Craig walked and stood in front of me. "It's called trust. Who else can I open up besides you and expect a big fucking stab in the back once I let everything slide off my shoulders!? I never had this with my ex-wife." When he said that last word, it made my eyes enlarged. "Hell, I never ask her to come walk with me out in the middle of the night under a crescent moon like this since I was mainly in the nest each night. You're the first person who I have done this!"

"Then tell me why I still feel a hint of doubt in me!?" I asked. Everything went quiet for a few seconds, beside some chirping sounds far off somewhere.

"Maybe..." Craig broke the silence, raising one of his arms up, removing some of my hair to the side to see my scar Doc Mitchell stitched up after being shot by Benny nights ago. "maybe your revenge is causing the doubts to fill up, or maybe that we've only known for about a week...and we still have to get use to the relationship that has formed between the both of us. Because of me spilling out all of my hidden emotions to you, I even have doubts myself, wondering if it was the right thing to do."

"Really?" I shot my brows up.

He nod once. "Yeah, that's what's in my mind for the past five hours."

"Strange," I spoke, seeing Craig bringing his hand back away from my scar. "I couldn't sleep after what we did back at the motel room. Something in my mind was asking for more, but I don't know what more I want instead of that."

Craig looked out to the east. "Eagerness, probably. Tensions, urges, a hair-raising experience that sends chills down your spine once the connection intensifies into something more than just a lip lock." He leaned forward, placing his hands on the concrete edge on each side of me with his forehead placed against mine. "This grizzly here has all of those, and with each second I am alone with you it builds up the hunger. Like a certain flame that never dies. And believe me, Crimson, it is driving me insane..."

"Hunger?" I glared at his shimmering eyes. "What do you mean by that? If it's about food, we can at least get a snack o-"

"Not that kind of hunger..." He stopped me. "Hunger as in the inescapable tensions buried within myself. Last time I felt like this was with Carla a month before she got pregnant." Craig murmured. "I wanted her badly, and just being alone in the motel room a month after I got married to her...I was patient, but not _that _patient. One night when I had the day off from being in the nest, letting a retired NCR ranger take my place, I decided to..." He paused for a bit. "_persuade _her."

I can feel another heat wave forming on my face again. All this talk about Craig's former private life regarding his deceased wife is now making feel a bit uneasy. "Why are you so close to me?" I _really _need to change the subject right away. I see Craig moving his head slightly to my left, but stopped when some kind of booming sound echoed off from the southeast direction of us, making me have both of my hands clutch the snipers huge shoulders. "W-What was that!? Is the Legion trying to throw some grenades at us from a distance as a warning!?

Craig lift himself away from me, turning his head towards the same direction that alarming sound echoed from. "No, that's not what it sounds like...it's thunder." I saw both of his thick brows lowering down to one long line. "Odd, rain here in the Mojave are very rare compared to two centuries ago, last time it rained here was when I was 16..." Without warning, he grabbed a hold of my left hand. "We need to get to shelter now, these are not just some ordinary raindrops like it was before the Great War."

Perplexed as I am, Craig ignored it and pulled me as we ran back to Novac. I looked up to see a huge, jet black cloud about to hover over the small town with some lights flashing above it. I don't think I have ever seen anything like this before, nor anything prior to my awakening four years ago. I felt something drop on my left arm, creating a burn feeling on that one spot. "Ouch!" I yelled once we got to the metal stairs to my motel room, hearing a bunch of tapping noises bouncing off the metal roof and railings. Craig opened the door quick, letting myself in first before him. I lift my arm to see a small, burn mark on my left forearm. "Ugh, as if I hadn't got burned enough..." I murmured, eyeing the open doorway where a massive downpour of water was barely shown through the dark night, except for a frightening half second flash along with the thunder sound. "What was that!?"

Craig shut the door just in case any more of the rain were to fly into the motel room. "Rain, but not the ordinary, purified water. This kind of rain is highly radioactive, with one drop from the sky to your skin, it'll sear your skin like a ghoul's flesh. I've seen a few NCR soldiers getting caught in the rain years ago when some of my battalion and I were trying to hold the door for them to shelter themselves, but with such a heavy downpour it created, it melted their bodies within minutes...seconds maybe. Glad you caught the sound of the thunder before the both of us cease to exist." he gazed at me as he sat on the sofa. "I rather take my life to protect you than to see you get burned by the rain."

"Craig..." I groaned. "don't say that." I walked and sat myself down beside him, crossing my arms over my torso. "I'd rather let you be alive than to have your skin look you you've just became a ghoul. And I _fucking hate _ghouls! They fucking freak me out when the start running out of nowhere!"

"Like I have when I sneak up on you while your unaware of my presence?" Craig chuckled.

"Shut up..." I murmured under my breath, hoping he didn't catch what I said.

A soft chuckled echoed and rattled through the sofa from where Craig is sitting. "Really?" Craig leaned closer to me. Oh great, he caught me red handed! He crawled through the couch and hovered over me, trapping me on the spot. "Now," he shoved me down on the soft, white cushions. "give me a reason why I should shut up, Crimson?" He leaned down and buried his face against the left side of my neck, feeling his lips brushing through my weak spot, making my whole skin jump. "I'm listening...'

Now I feel trapped, though it's really hard for me to breath in deeply when I got a powerhouse military man crushing me against the soft sofa. "B-Because..." I wheezed, feeling every inch of my body going numb everytime his mouth move against my neck, making me close my eyes slowly. I couldn't say anything more than just one, Craig has got me limp as a dead corpse on the Mojave dirt.

Craig's hot breath huffed on my neck as his chuckle gave me another static surge down my spine. "I thought so..." he growled softly against my ear.

_Shit, not again... _I thought, feeling more of the static shock surging through my neck to everywhere on my shoulders, arms, even my head. It's like back at the Atomic Wrangler in Freeside while I was trying to change into the Van Graff uniform for the bodyguard duty with Simon. So, this is what he means by being _hungry_. But...is this the 'more' I am searching for through my blank mind? Man, I don't give a fuck right now, my mind has completely shut down and body on autopilot again. It's like I wanted this to happen since five hours ago, but to extend the curiosity from it a little longer. All I want to do is melt within Craig for a while.

Until I feel a little pinching on the left side of my neck...

"Huh?" I managed to regain my sanity as I opened my eyes, feeling something poking my left leg along with his hands slowly tracing down my sides onto my hips. And trying to tug down my...oh shit! "Craig!?" I quickly brought my hands up and lift him off of me. My face began to burned each second I eyed him. "What are you doing?"

His face showed me confusion in his widen eyes, but moved his gaze away from me. "I'm..." He went silent again, slowly moving himself away from me. "I'm sorry, I guess I got a little overboard again." He didn't take one glance at my highly perplexed glare, only to walk to the door and exit himself out with the rain still pouring outside.

This is the second time he done that, walking away without saying a word. I wish I can ask what his deal is, but I bet that would make matters worst in his perspective. "Craig..." I don't know if I should feel worried or wary about him, I fucking hate standing in the middle of those two sides. But what was that pinching feeling on my neck he made? I ran my fingers on the same spot, but feel no bumps or anything...but his saliva. "Ugh...thanks a lot, Craig." I growled, hoping this little, sharp pain will go away over night.

* * *

_Fuck, I was wrong!_

All dressed up in my reinforced, leather armor and cloth over my scar after the sun broke though the boarded window, only to go to the mirror in the bathroom and see a small, purple-black colored spot on the left side of my neck when I was trying to wash my face with water from the sink. I was hoping the pain would go away on that spot, but everytime I touched it with my hand, the same sharp pain appeared. Whatever Craig did to my neck last night, he better have a good explanation about this. "Ugh, just hope my shirt can cover it..." I murmured, trying to tug one part of my shirt's collar up to hide the spot. It only concealed it a little, I have to watch when I move next time to avoid all my traveling partners from seeing it. Well, until my body went into a state of shock when I heard a few loud knocks coming from the motel door.

"Crimson, you awake?"

I snapped my head towards the open bathroom doorway where Natalie's voice echoed through the small motel room. "Natalie!?" I sprint out of the bathroom to the door, opening it to gaze upon the NCR private ranked Natalie standing with her arms behind her back. "Natalie!" I hopped forward and gave her a welcoming hug. "Long time no see!"

Natalie returned the favor with a hug of her own. "I know right!?" She cheerfully chortled, pushing herself away from me. "You're lucky I came in the knick of time after you send a distress call regarding those Legion assassins near the I-95 Assassin's Road. You would've been a Legion slave now if that didn't happened."

I had to laugh along with her. "Yeah, I hate to say, but I agree with you. So, what brings you here?"

"Oh, why don't you come with me." Natalie smiled. "I have something to give to our battalion, and you, that was made from one of the scientists as a request from Colonel Hsu. I think this would be beneficial for all for all of us if we were ever to get into a situation such as yesterday."

"Okay, we better meet up with the others." I said, hearing a commotion happening outside. Natalie and I, closing the door behind me, traveled down the metal stairs to the bottom level. We walked through each of the light green puddles all over the ground to the group in the middle of the clearing.

"Shoooo-whee!" Eric whistled out loud, lifting one if his legs off of one of the puddles. "Sure did rain 'ere. Hate t' be a drenched rat when that happened..."

"Actually, Tiny," Veronica spoke. "that was no ordinary rain. This is the kind of rain that melts your skin. Maybe melt your tiny package there." She giggled.

"Enough with that name, V!" Eric yelled at the Brotherhood member.

I shook my head at the two arguing companions of mine. Sure didn't change a bit when I fell into a coma yesterday. "Hey guys, what's happening?" I stopped next to Natalie a few feet from all the surprised faces of every companion in the group.

Terence formed a warm smile on his face with Azrael, his bodyguard, beside him in his regular formal wear. "It's a pleasure to see you out of your deep sleep, Ms. Crimson."

"Well, glad to see you up and walking, Rookie!" Simon walked up to me, placing a hand on the left metal shoulder plate. "We were all biting our teeth to the quick just to make sure you didn't die on us."

The huge super mutant hybrid Willis ran up to me and hold me in his strong arm hug. "Big Sis Crimson is okay! I hope those big, mean killers didn't make your head as flat as a pancake!"

I tried wiggling myself off of Willis's arms, and get a little bit of breathing room. "Th...thanks for..." I grunt as I tried to catch my breath from suffocation. "for..." I coughed.

"Willis," I heard Veronica called from my nearly deaf ears. "why don't you put Crimson down before _you _make her into a pancake."

I noticed the tight hold loosened and my feet planted onto the soaked ground. Nor to mention gasping a huge amount of air into my lungs. "Thanks for your concern...anyways, what do you want to show us, Natalie?"

Natalie rummaged through her backpack for a clump of small devices in her hand. "Colonel Hsu instructed one of the inventors in Camp McCarran to make these small radios for us to communicate within the Mojave wasteland lines. But, sadly, he only made five as a prototype."

"As in the five members of Battalion 21?" Veronica asked.

Natalie nod her head once. "Precisely." She swiftly moved her head around, pulling her brows down. "But I only see four of the five members. Where's 1st Recon?"

"Like you want that murderer?" I heard Corwin walked passed us to see Natalie. "Oh, you're that NCR squirt back at Nelson. What're you doing here!?"

Natalie turned herself towards the ex-Legionary, standing her ground in case he were to attack her. Her gecko companion, Kip in some metal played armor and a red bandana around its neck, hopped onto her shoulder with some threatening chittering noises. "I should ask the same thing to you, Legion savage!"

"It's a long story, Natalie." I groaned, pushing the two away from each other. "I'll tell you all about it later. In the meantime-"

"What is that?" I turned to Corwin, having his eyes looking down at my shoulder.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "What is what?"

Corwin moved his arm so quickly and yanked the shirt collar down, his eyes enlarged at the small spot on my neck. "This fucking hickey on your damn neck!" He yelled at my ear. "What else!"

"Hickey!? Oooooh, someone left a mark on you!" Veronica giggled through her teasing voice.

"Hoppin' shit, Crims!" Eric shout. "Fuckin' jealous that ya got laid b'fore I did!"

"Whaaaat!? Whatever you just said, Eric, I didn't do that!" I yelled, my face now at a third-degree burn from embarrassment now that Corwin revealed the spot I wish not to show. "W-W-W-Wait! I-I-I-I-I can explain here!" I tried to back away from everyone until I bumped into something hard against my back. I gulped, turning my head slowly to the right and see Craig with his icy glare right at me. "Uhh..." I whispered.

Craig remained his cold and stern demeanor for a minute. "Should've watched your six," he smirked, making my face burn even more. "my Crimson."

_My...Crimson!? _Okay, what is up with Craig now!?

"Excuse me," Corwin yelled a few feet from me and Craig. "_your _Crimson!? No no no no no, fuck that claim! You can't just leave a fucking hickey on her neck and call her yours! I was the one that had her first!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Simon spoke.

"Hulk gave Crimson the hickey!?" Veronica started bust out laughing. "That is gold!"

Craig chuckled, walking passed me to meet Corwin face to face. "Too fucking bad, fuck stain.

"I 'eard o' love triangle, but from both 1st Recon an' Legion guy t' Crims is diff'rent..." Eric comment. "Why can't I 'ave that!?"

I shook my head quickly and groaned. "Okay guys, can we at least get back to what we were doing here regarding Natalie and the communicators. Plus, we need to get going if we are ever going to get to the Mojave Outpost today. Does anybody have my weapons?"

Simon held up my laser rifle with the scope, in one piece, in both of his hands and hand it to me. "I'm surprised this hasn't break into pieces by those assassins. Though," he held my hunting knife, now snapped in half. "I wouldn't say the same with your melee weapon."

"Shit..." I grabbed the holster and placed it around me before holstering the laser rifle through the pouch before grabbing both parts of my hunting knife. "great, this was a great close range weapon while it last...how am I going to fend off anything when I run dry of ammo?"

"I believe I have a proper solution to your predicament, Ms. Crimson." Terence spoke, climbing into the carriage to the long wooden crate, bringing out a long object wrapped around in some white cloth with rope tied around in three different spots. "I meant to save this for when an important time was needed in my travels flying solo, but since I have such an assortment of companions traveling with me, I believe this unique weapon will fit you perfectly."

"Mr. Ko!?" Azrael eyed his caravan associate. "You're going to give such a valuable and rare weapon such as that to Courier Crimson!? She doesn't know how to wield that type of weaponry let alone mishandling one of her own as a result of the blade snapping from the hilt!"

Terence hopped off the carriage, keeping the long, wrapped item on his hands. "Azrael, we shall not judge by the person wielding the sword. The sword itself shall judge its wielder, like how your sword is with you." He kept walking forward until he stopped just a couple of feet from me. "Ms. Crimson, I believe you should have Gehenna as its successor."

"Ge...henna?" I asked, eyeing the item in Terence's hands.

"Gehenna," Azrael said the name again. "An Aramaic, an ancient language, word meaning lake of fire. It's also valley located outside ancient Jerusalem, and was a place where various pagans sacrificed humans by throwing them in fire, and later, as Jerusalem and Judaism developed, waste would be burned there." He crossed his arms over his torso. "Even though I am highly curious about this type of weapon and its use, I overheard from Mr. Ko himself that Gehenna is one of the Gun Runners weaponry."

Terence turned to his bodyguard and nod. "Indeed it is."

"Gun Runners!?" Natalie and Veronica shriek.

"Whoa whoa!" Simon yelled. "Gun Runners!? The elite organization of the Mojave Wasteland creating high quality, rare and unique weaponry!? How did you obtain that!?"

Terence still kept his gentle smile on his face. "I am not a mere caravan merchant just by one sight, my friends. You see, I am a caravan merchant associate of the prestigious Gun Runners, traveling through the Post-War America trading to the other branches of the organization."

"Whoa, the herbalist quack doesn't seem like such a quack at all." Veronica stated. "The Brotherhood of Steel would die to have have such valuable weapon such as theirs."

"Indeed, they do, Brotherhood Veronica." Azrael agrees. "Even Elder MacNamara would want to obtain one of their armament, if they haven't kept their lockdown active."

Terence untied all of the strings, unravel the cloth to reveal a long, durable blade with some sort of unique handle on the end. "Normally this unique type of shishkabob would include a huge motorcycle engine to act as a backpack for fuel, but I have given permission to modify the contents to let it consume just a tiny amount of fuel from a small flamer fuel tank. Ms. Crimson, please take this as a token of my gratitude for your services and our companionship."

I gave Terence a single nod, grabbing the weapon from the skinny handle and lift it off of his hands. "It's...a bit heavier than the laser rifle. Hmm..." I twist my arm slowly to examined the new weapon in my hand.

"What's that handle in front of your fingers for?" Craig appeared next to me. "Doubt it's for show."

"Not quite, Mr. Boone." Terence answered. "Squeeze it gently, and see what comes out."

"O-Okay..." I gulped, placing one finger one by one on the other handle and squeezed together with the handle, making a bright orange fire blazing onto the blade. "WAH!" I flinched back while I kept a firm grip on my new weapon. "WHY IS IT ON FIRE!?"

Terence chortled. "No need to be alarmed, Ms. Crimson, it's suppose to do that. But what makes Gehenna different from any other regular shishkabob is that its flames are far brighter and the blade is highly durable to even swinging at a rock. And furthermore, the flames that come intact with a certain animal or enemy will never die. Much like your will to protect those you care, Ms. Crimson. You're the flame that never dies."

"Well..." I spoke, loosening the lever to make the flames go away. "this is definitely something I wouldn't expect to get. But thanks."

Azrael walked up and brought a belt with a loop on one side. "This is the holder for your sword, Courier Crimson. Maybe Gehenna's flames will help you protect those who you care most."

I grabbed the belt right off of Azrael's hands, letting Terence hold my weapon for me to place it around my waist. "I guess I need some practice wielding that weapon, if you're willing to teach me how to, Azrael."

Azrael replied with a simple nod. "We shall while we travel."

"Yeah, maybe you can teach her how to fucking slice and burn the Legion bitch traveling with us." Craig chuckled.

"Fuck you, asesino!" Corwin bellowed out, shoving me aww from his path to Craig. "No fire is going to roast my ass from some flaming weapon while I still walk in this wasteland. And I'm still going to fucking beat you to a pulp for giving Crimson that mark on her neck!"

"What mark on whose neck?" Now Manny, the other 1st Recon sniper and Novac town guard, appeared onto the picture. "Whoa, long time no see, Boone. I'm surprised you're still in one piece since you left."

Craig rolled his eyes at his former friend and partner. "Like it is any of your business whether I am alive or not, Varges."

"Come on, we use to be friends back in the military." Manny chuckled a little, in which Craig is not amused at his little comment. "I just got out of my room when I heard that guy talking about you putting a mark on Crimson's neck. I hope it's not a cut from your machete."

"Manny," I spoke before Craig can. "just stay out of this. We are just about t-" I was grabbed unexpectedly by someone with part of my shirt collar yanked down. "What the-!?""

"I can never drop this, Crimson!" Corwin growled begin me. Seems like he is the one that revealed the small spot on my neck.

I noticed Manny's brows lowered, eyeing me before eyeing at Craig. "That's new...you made that, Boone?"

"Just go to your shift, Manny..." I barked, shoving Corwin off of me. Once Manny is out of sight when he entered the dino statue, I turned to Natalie with my hand held out. "About those communicators?"

"O-Oh, yeah!" Natalie stammered. "These five communicators each have a specific symbol on the speaker, gives us a specific code name whenever we get capture or when we are in different parts of the Mojave. So, I get the clover, Veronica gets the heart, Eric has the spade, 1st Recon has the diamond, while Crimson has the joker, like the cards in a card game."

"Why am I the joker?" I asked, grabbing the communicator from Natalie.

"Hsu was the one that picked out your code name." Natalie answered as she demonstrate how to put the communicator on. "He says that you are the the wild care in the royal flush in this game of chance. Metaphorically speaking, you lead us to victory once we go into war with the Legion."

"If that's ever possible..." I heard Corwin mumbled under his breath.

I managed to equip the communicator on my right ear, snapping the speaker part around my neck. "Alight guys, we better head out. We can't hold of on this mission much longer."


	53. Chapter 52 - Feud

**_-Booted Pt. 1-_**

Nearly a few hours since me and the crew left Novac, along with an additional assistance with Natalie and her gecko companion Kip, we decided to take a breather in a Viper's encampment just south through the I-95 Assassins Road. After mowing down the raiders and settling down for lunch, I decided that it was the best time to learn how to use my new melee weapon I have received from the now revealed Gun Runners associate Terence. Gehenna, a type of shishkabob Azrael told me, sure is a difficult weapon to wield since I have little to no clue on how to use it other than using my hunting knife that had been snapped in half. I hope mastering Gehenna would be a breeze. "AURGH!" Or...maybe not.

Azrael, in his stealth suit with the mask having a skull insignia on it, stood firm with his sword unsheathed after he pushed me down with just his free, right hand. "Pitiful..." He spoke through the strange head wear. "Your balance is sloppy, and the way you've been handling Gehenna is incorrect." He held his katana in his left hand, pointing it towards his west. "Gehenna is a precious weapon that must handle with proper care, but I've seen only carelessness and poor handling from you. I question why Mr. Ko entrusted you with a rare weapon such as the one you got in your inexperienced hands."

I eyed my mentor while I sat on the desert soil with Gehenna just centimeters from my fingers on my right hand. "Come on, Azrael!" I yelled back at him. "Yeah, I don't know how to handle this weapon, but you got to teach me still! I need to know more about using Gehenna." I kept glaring at what little face is shown through the yellow tinted mask in silence, making my blood boil from not receiving a reply from him. I quickly grabbed Gehenna from the ground and charged my way up to my mentor.

Azrael quickly sheathed his sword back in his dark brown scabbard, ducked down once I made a swing at him with Gehenna and jabbed a thumb in my left underarm. Applying pressure there, my while body locked up, making me drop my weapon and myself down to the ground. "Pitiful..." Azrael scoffed. "Charging head on without knowing your opponent's next maneuver shows how an easy, open target you are to the enemy. You must think two steps ahead of him or her, and utilize a strategy to bring their defense down."

I don't understand how Azrael can make myself frozen just by a simple technique using only his thumb, now I'm having a tough time getting up because of that. "I..." I grunt, moving my head up at Azrael. "I'll...keep trying..." I growled a little from the sharp pain under my left arm. "Even if I die a failure..."

"C'mon, Crims j'st needs t' practice a lil' bit more." I heard Eric walking over to me and Azrael. 'Give 'er a break." I felt a pair of hands grabbing a hold of my right arm, tugging me up slowly to my feet. "Why don'cha take th' load off an' git some grub?"

"Maybe the some of this squirrel meat on a stick." Natalie said, giving a mantis leg to her gecko companion, Kip.

"Maybe give Tiny there some brahmin steaks, while you're at it!" Veronica yelled from afar. "I'm afraid that the reason why his package isn-"

"Aww, C'mon V!" Eric's thick accent voice yelled yards to the rest of the group. "I'm tired o' that name fer th' last few days now! Give it a break!" He, along with Azrael removing his head wear, started walking back to the others settled down to have an afternoon break from departing Novac hours ago.

I lift my left hand up and flexed all five fingers a couple of times, hoping they haven't locked up from the technique Azrael did on me. Even moving my arm in a circular figure just to make sure it's okay. Whatever Azrael did, I hope he can teach me it soon. I went to turn to make my at to the others, but the broad torso of the NCR 1st Recon sniper blocked me from taking another step further. "C-Craig!?" I shrieked, looking up at the stern features on his face. "Can you stop popping up like that? You almost gave me another heart attack!"

"I believe someone forgot about our little one-to-one session we agreed that was suppose to happen at 0700 hours." Craig announced, folding both his arms over his torso. "Or..." his lips curled up to a slight smirk. "was your mind focused on what had happened last night?"

I flinched, feeling my face burning after being reminded of his confessions last night in my hotel room back at Novac. Ever since Craig told me that I am now in his mind instead of his deceased wife, Carla, things are becoming more different and strange by the minute. No...by the second. "Why in the hell would I've been thinking about that!?" My voice rose. "All I am thinking right now is trying to handle this damn weapon." I held Gehenna upright to show him.

Craig raised an eyebrow. "Then tell me why you always move both of your eyes towards my direction everytime you tried to hit your teacher? You've tried so hard to hide that, but you got to remember I'm not that blind."

"Ugh," I groaned, rolling my eyes at him, reminding me of me constantly looking at him every other minute whenever he came within my sight. He was leaning against a wooden post near the rest of our traveling companions. "and who are you suppose to be, my personal bodyguard? I know you're a trained sniper and spotter, but come on! You can't be keeping an eye on me even if Azrael is training me to wield Gehenna. I don't need any supervision from you."

Craig growled a little. "You do if that fuck stain of an ex-Legion recruit decides to make a move on you. Fuck...whether he is in the Legion or not, I don't have a hint- no, a microscopic hint of trust to that bastard. If he was from the Legion, he's still a member of the Legion at heart."

"Much like you still being an NCR soldier at heart even though you are not with them anymore?" I asked.

Craig nod once, smiling once again. "You implanted a bullet right on the head, Gecko Bite."

"Stop calling me that..." I groaned.

"I'll keep saying that until your punches improved." Craig warned, cracking both of his knuckles. "Hell, maybe if you exceeded my expectations, I should promote you to baby Deathclaw Bite."

Just by that nickname alone made me took a swing at his right arm. "Oh, shut up Craig!"

Craig only grinned again. "I know you got a lot more than just that, Crimson." He raised his left hand and moved his fingers in unison, like he is signalling me to do something. "Bring it, Gecko Bite. Let's see if you can punch me down to the ground. I'll go a little easy on you."

I rolled my eyes again and growled at him. "Why would you go easy on me? You know I've been shot in the head and survived, getting unconscious on a regular basis, shot at, cut, and beaten down by the Legion. Why don't _you_ give _me _all you got?"

"Maybe he doesn't want to hurt his precious lover with those murderous hands of his?" I heard Corwin, the ex-Legion Great Khan member, teased while he leaned up against a huge wooden post near the others while they eat. "If he would've killed you right then and there, I'd probably kill him as well, thus maybe fulfilling my revenge for what he discovered to my sister."

Craig turned his head to his enemy's direction. "For the millionth time, fuck stain! I never killed your sister four years ago! Stop assuming that it was me that pulled the trigger from afar!"

"Guys," Veronica spoke with some food stuff in her left cheek. "Why can't we all just get along and enjoy the food the Quack Herbalist concocted for us to eat and get sick from food poisoning."

"I don't know about you," Simon took a spoonful of food and propped it into his mouth. "but this meal is amazing!"

"Y'darn right 'bout this grub!" Eric's spoke, scarfing all the contents from the plate to his mouth in one movement.

Craig shook his head and groaned quietly, turning his head back at me. "Reason why I'm going easy on you is that I don't want to land a fist where your scar is, hoping you won't become unconscious again for who knows how many hours it'll take for you to wake up again. We need you alive, awake, and walking if we really ever going to fend off the Legion once we are at war with the NCR at our sides. If you manage to punch a Legion bastard's face with a weak punch like you did on my right arm, you're nothing but an easy target to them."

"But what about my other weapons?" I asked, sheathing Gehenna in the holder attached to my waist. "I can use them at my advantage."

Craig shook his head again. "Yeah, they're only good for a limited time, though. What if you ran out of ammo or both of your weapons are nothing but broken parts lying on the ground? What is another good way to defend yourself when all you got are two weak and unprepared fists against an ironclad Centurion with a durable, sharp sword?" He took my right hand, folding all my fingers into a fist and placed it against the left part of his torso. "You're going to need all the help you need to become stronger than the enemy."

Even with my hand forcefully closed into a fist by Craig, I can easily feel the rhythm of his heart tapping against it. As much as I want to yank my hand away from him, but something within me prevented me from doing so. "Guess you got a point there, Craig." I noticed my hand brought back to me from him. "So, are you going on show me the basics of punching or do I have to punch you in the face again?"

"Punch him in the face." Corwin chuckled, bitting off a piece of meat on a stick. "He fucking deserves that."

I heard a low toned growl tracing from Craig's throat. "Let's take this little lesson elsewhere, Crimson. Another minute I see that bastard and bullets will be flying everywhere in this area." He turned around to make his way out the road traling south next to the encampment.

"Better hurry with whatever you're doing, Rookie." Simon spoke, offering the bowl to Terrence. "We still need to head over to the Mojave Outpost and find the person our boss is looking for. Can't keep him waiting."

I slowly bobbed my head once. "It won't be long, Simon." I replied before I followed the same route Craig did to catch up to him. The both of us turned around to the left, traveling through the road in a slow pace feet from the sniper. "Craig..." I called out. "I just wanted to say thank you for what you did back before you carried my unconscious self to Novac yesterday."

Craig walked a few more feet forward until he is just halfway through the giant rock to his left. I stopped near him once he turned himself to see me. "Don't thank me, Crimson. I rather keep you alive than to see you as a slave by those ass-fucking bastards there. And like I told you back in Novac, I'll fight to the last breath just to keep you safe. Even if ithe means getting killed by that Legion fuck with a price on my head."

"A good and painful death would be a plus..." I zipped myself around to see Corwin walking from the little rocky ledge to our direction. "I climbed my way up the ledge behind me. Legion didn't train me to have my thumb up my ass for the past four years. Got to keep myself in shape for when I want to kill you, asesino."

"Why would you decide to come over here in my private lessons with Crimson, fuck stain!?" Craig growled through his tightened jaw. I can tell that a bloodbath is going to happen if those two aren't going to separate in a matter of seconds.

Corwin wrinkled his nose as he fold his arm over his leather armored torso. "Private, you say? Well, things won't be private now that your precious lover has regained some memory from the time in Bitter Springs and onward." He got close to his enemy and forcefully shoved him two feet away from me with just one hand. "What's pissing me off is that fucking hickey you put on her neck!" I noticed how his shoulders are moving more quicker with each breath he rapidly intake.

Craig let out a dark chuckle at Corwin. "Oh, the ass-fucking bastard is is whining like a bitch when I was the first one that made a mark on her? Face it, Crimson doesn't belong to you."

Corwin cracked both of his knuckles and moved his head from side to side. "She doesn't belong to you either, asesino! Just because you are more closer to her doesn't mean you can do as you will when you and her are alone. You forgot that she was in a relationship with me after that tragic event happened!"

"I don't recall that..." I mumbled, rolling my eyes at him. "Besides, if you said that you and I are in some kind of relashionship, where's the proof?"

Craig pulled off a smirk, glaring back at the ex-Legion recruit. "Couldn't agree more to that. I bet you're saying that just to take Crimson back to the Fort and make her your ruler Caesar's slave. And maybe find a way to break my relationship with her so you can have a clear opening to torture me to death."

"Relationship..." Corwin spoke under his breath, walking slowly to Craig. "Like I said, Crimson does not belong to you!" With quick reflexes, Corwin grabbed Craig's beret off of his shaved head. "Why not talk about _your _relationship with the NCR since you're _so _close to them!"

"Give me back my beret, fuck stain!" Craig growled as he tried to reach his head wear from Corwin.

Corwin pulled his hand with the beret back away from his enemy's reach. "Then tell me why I kept seeing some of your squadron, or maybe some of your fellow comrades-in-arms attacking innocent people whenever they feel like it!? Or how about them mounting on the women just because they want to _have fun!? _I saw them doing that to my own mother before killing her point blank in the head when I was just thirteen years old!" He dropped Craig's beret and slammed his fist against his enemy's jaw. "Can't you understand how horrible it as to watch your own mother being raped by those fucking megalomaniac faction from inside a small closet!?"

"How should I fucking know!?" Craig twist himself and land his own face at Corwin, caused him to stagger back a few feet from where he was standing. "I was never there with them while they were doing that kind of shit! I never knew that kind of feeling since my own fucking mother slept around with any guy she sees while my father was on tour!"

I remain in the same spot in dead silence, watching the two exchange fists, kicks, and even words that I can't make out within their grunts. "Guys, come on!" I yelled, grabbing Craig's beret off of the ground. "We don't need this kind of argument early in the morning!" I doubt the both of them would listening to me since their hatred towards one another is nonstop, and doubt it'll ever stop unless one is killed. But I am definitely not going to let the fight continue until either one brings out their sniper rifle and aim it at their heads.

"Come on, asesino!" Corwin huffed. "I thought you're more tough than that since Bitter Springs! Or have you soften up now since the so-called amnesiac courier bitch has entered into your life!?"

"Take that back, fuck stain!" Craig fumed. "Crimson is not a fucking bitch, and sure as hell won't be in your arms if you try to kill me!"

Corwin smirked, bringing out his sniper rifle from his tan leather holster. "Sounds better than beating you to death."

_Guess I thought too soon... _I sprint my way to create a shield in front of Craig with Gehenna drawn out and engulfed in flames. "Corwin, this needs to stop now! I'm getting tired of you always acting like this whenever it comes to Craig's actions on me!" Even though what my sniper comrade did to me last night left a scorching feeling on my face, my mind is more focused on trying to prevent either Corwin or Craig from killing one another.

"Protecting the assassin as usual..." Corwin scoffed after placing his weapon back in the holster. "You should be protecting me, a much more innocent civilian who've seen tragedy and death every second I walk in this wasteland. I never did anything wrong to the NCR nor asked for their military power to kill those that are or considered my family!"

"Why can't you just forget about what happened from the past and move on with your life!?" Craig suggested, feeling a hand of his grabbing my left arm gently. "Best to have a normal life tha-"

"I can never have a fucking normal life, NCR scum!" Corwin hissed, balling up both his hands. "I will not have that while I still have the sight of both my mother and sister dying in my arms by your comrades engraved in my memory! And I will never rest until you deserve the same fate you did to my sister!"

"I told you before, fuck stain! I never killed your sister!" Craig's hand on my arm clenched tightly, making me wince and whimper from it.

A wicked grin pulled up from one side of Corwin's lips. "And there you are, hurting your precious lover all due to your endless rage buried in your heart. I feel sorry for the bitch from having to be dealing with the pain you inflict on her, never asking someone else to protect her just because you got her chained down." A slight chuckle escaped through his sinister smile. "Would I fucking love to bring her back to me and watch you suffer in darkness!"

I noticed both of Craig's military-built arms slowly coiled around my upper body while feeling a low rumble from his torso onto my back. "Over my burned up and dead corpse you'll take my Crimson away from me!"

"YOUR CRIMSON!?" Corwin bellowed.

**"Guys," **the sound of Natalie's voice calling out of nowhere made me jump and made a noise. **"what in the world is taking you so long!?"**

"Apparently you forgot about the communicator still attached to your ear, Gecko Bite." Craig chuckled, releasing his hold from me while I made a face at him. He held one finger against the earpiece on his right ear, pressing the button so he can speak. "Sorry, had a slight predicament going on over here." I saw his cold eyes moved to Corwin's direction.

**"Well, we will be in a predicament in a matter of seconds if we don't hurry on over to the Mojave Outpost!" **Natalie spoke through the speaker of my and Craig's communicator. **"The general has ordered me to report to that place to drop off report letters to a person named Ranger Jackson."**

I pressed the bottom on the earpiece attached on my right ear. "Man, even for someone of a Private rank, you sure do get around and ordered for a bunch of things." I quickly took a short huff of air. "We'll be there in a second, Natalie."

**"Ya sure th' route ont' th' Outpost is safe?" **Eric's spoke through the communicator. **"I 'eard news 'bout black smoke comin' off o' that direction. Could b' raiders doin'."**

"Wait, black smoke!?" I shrieked.

**"Why so surprise, Crimson?" **Veronica asked. **"Was is something Tiny said to you?" **Just when Veronica said that, I heard Eric's voice echoed from the other side of the huge rock behind me.

I breathed in through my nose and out through my lips, pressing the button once again on the earpiece. "No, guess you'll have to see once we head towards that direction." I took one quick glance at Corwin, showing him a spiteful expression. "Believe me, it's the place where I first seen the Legion do their kind of 'lessons' to innocent lives there..."

"Where's that at?" Craig asked, pulling a hand towards me.

I swallowed a small lump in me throat as I placed the red beret in the sniper's hand. "Nipton..." So much for the lessons with Craig today...

* * *

Not even an hour and half of leaving the raiders encampment, I looked to the left as we all walked through the road connected to I-95, passing by some area with boarded up homes, buildings, and a couple of buildings with a pointed top on it. The travel through thsi stretch of unknown road sure was quiet, not an inch of noise was heard from any one of us. The silence lasted about ten minutes until I decided to speak up. "Does anybody know that area we passed by with a few NCR troops patrolling the area just a while ago?"

"That's Camp Searchlight, a military camp for the NCR." Craig stated while we walked passed a large board with a picture of two people standing near a strange looking vehicle. much like the one sitting in front of it, except a bit weathered and damaged.

"Were you assigned to that area while you were still with the NCR?" Natalie asked, holding Kip gently in her arms and a rolled up map in one of her hands.

Craig shook his head. "No, heard one of my superiors assigning a different squad to set up shop there. Though the reason why they are assigned there was not my business nor within my hearing radius. I was too focused with my own objective."

"Killing off innocent tribes just to expand NCR's power?" Corwin murmured behind me. "I bet once we head towards that place, you'll see the message the Legion showed to those fucking Powder Gangers and the people there."

"What do you mean?" Simon asked while he walked beside me with his plasma rifle in his hands. "You were there at that certain town? I heard on the radio about a town called Nipton that was under siege by the Legion and it is now engulfed in flames."

"He did..." I answered. "In fact, Corwin as the one that knocked me out just moments after I arrived at Nipton. His leader-"

"Former..." Corwin corrected me right as I was cut off midsentence. I forgot that the Legion dispose of Corwin after defying their Caesar leader person yesterday after finding information of the person me and Simon are currently looking for.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Either way, teaching innocent live the way of defying the Legion is fucked up. No one in Nipton deserves to be killed or become slaves."

"If you must know," I noticed on the corner of my right eye Corwin appearing in my line of sight. "If you were to know about their vile ways of greed, prostitution, and thievery by their so called mayor, you'll wish to do the same."

"But, why attack the place anyway?" Veronica asked calmly.

Corwin twist his head at the Brotherhood comrade. "You think the Legion and I attacked and burned that town to the ground just because we felt like it? It was the damn mayor and his mind full of greed that led to the assistance from 'Mr. Fox' to round up both of the NCR personnel and the Powder Gangers at the center of town. 8,000 caps Vulpes offered to that mayor, the mayor thinks he had is made that night. But we lured _everyone _there, even the mayor and his disgusting escorts."

"And that's where your higher-up announced the lottery..." I added. "But what did you guys do to the mayor?"

Corwin turned his head away from us. "When his number came up, we tossed him into a pit of flaming tires, showing him that defying the Legion results an immediate death. They tried to kill me when I defied Caesar, but luckily I escaped with cuts, bruises, and a broken soul wandering the wastes. I'm fucking surprised a courier defied all of her comrades to bring me back to my feet."

"I thought good sister red hair would never help bad people." Willis, the super mutant ghoul hybrid, boomed while he pulled the wooden carriage containing the equipment we need for the trip behind him. "My mom said never be friends with bad people."

"Crimson is not the enemy..." Craig snarled under his breath. "The only enemy walking among us in this group is that Legion bastard who considers himself as a comrade to us. He says he's not part of the Legion, but I am definitely not buying it one bit. It wouldn't be too surprising if he tried to slit out throat while we sleep in the middle of the night, or radio in more assassins to take us away."

"You sure are digging your own grave on that!" Corwin ranted. "I told you I am not one of them anymore! Just like you are not one of the NCR."

"May not be one," Craig stated. "but I am still one at heart. And I bet you're the same way with the Legion too? Isn't that right, fuck stain?"

Corwin growled under his breath. "Say what you like, but I know where I stand, puto!"

"Can you shut up with that stupid language!?" Craig barked as he twist himself towards Corwin. "For an so-called ex-Legion, which I doubt you're not one of them,, you still get on my nerves really quick just by hearing or seeing you."

I wish I can at least jump in and cut up their argument, but I really hate wasting more time not finding the said person for Jean-Baptiste with my bodyguard coworker Simon. I would really need to find this Rose of Sharon Cassidy if I am ever going to keep this bodyguard business to pay off the laser rifle I want to get back. "This sure is a long trip to reach the Mojave Outpost..."

"I 'ear ya!" Eric placed both of his hands on the back of his head. "Scuffin' m' boots against th' road fer this long will wear th' soles t' th' brim. Can't we settle down fer a moment?"

"We need to keep going if we are ever going to reach the outpost for our fellow friends." Terence reassured, cutting open some great and yellow ball with a small knife. "I would hate if their manager-in-charge lashes out for not completing their objective. Once we make it to the outpost, we'll take a nice rest before we move out again."

"Agreed." Natalie nod, eyeing at the map in her hands. "Nipton should be at the end of this mountain passage, then we can pass through there and reach the Outpost by later this afternoon. If no raiders or Legion assassins decide to pop up out of nowhere."

I life my left hand up and rest on the metal hilt of Gehenna. "We will be prepared once that happens, Natalie. No damn Legion is going to keep walking in this wasteland, not on our watch." I didn't recognize this whole area once we all started walking up the road curved upwards passed a small area with a metal shack. The way through the mountain passage wasn't that much to traverse throug, despite so many rocks and boulders lying on the ground in clusters. But something about is mountain passage sort of made me feel lost.. "You sure enough are on the track, Natalie? I don't seem to recognize this area."

Natalie lift her hands with the map up closer to her face, having Kip cling onto her right shoulder. She ever turned it to the left and then to the right. "Umm, I think..." She answered. "I don't know, I never been to the Mojave Outpost before. Does 1st Recon know where it it?"

"No..." Craig spoke. "I heard _of _the outpost, but never went there. Mostly run by Rangers now from what I heard."

"Well, that's sucks." Veronica stated in a calm manner. "So, we are basically just wandering around the Mojave with not a sense of direction here? Who doesn't know where this place of power-hungry, territorial soldiers reside? I mean, no offense that the NCR were in th-"

"Guys!" Eric yelled, causing us to cease the walking and quiet down. He stopped too, pointing his nose up into the air and took a deep inhale through the nostrils. "Did ya smell som'n like burnt rubber 'round 'ere?"

I lowered both my browser down, taking a quick whiff as some familiar smell entered into my nose. "I know that smell. It's faint, but it's the same smell I came across from Nipton, except the scent was much more stronger within the town."

"We're close by, then." Corwin stated, folding his arms over his chest. "Strange how it's been a week since I've helped Vulpes take care of the innocent lives and burned them alive, along with the mayor." He paused for a moment as he started to walked through a wide curve passed two of the same cars from moments ago and a large vehicle on its side. "At least my and Vulpes's reasons were more sound than the NCR asesino and his squad at Bitter Springs. So, murderer," he stopped near Craig, who was standing beside me, and formed a grin at him. "how's about I tell them of the time you killed my-"

"Drop it, fuck stain!" The sniper's voice echoed through what small area surrounding us, hearing some gunshots from the top of the hills above us. "Shit, it's a Legion ambush!" He took out his rifle from his holster, pointing up into the air, shooting a few bullets at a couple of people up in the mountains while the rest of us stood guard and am from the two.

"No, this is the Viper gang territory!" Corwin thundered, bring his rifle out at the opposite direction. "Even if you did cause an uproar here, they'll be trying to mow you down with bullets and knives." He shot down a couple of them. "These gangs aren't worth the challenge if I am ever going to reclaim the courier bitch as my own!"

"You can kiss your ass goodbye for that, fucker!" Craig grabbed his machete out of the holder on the side of his pants, bringing it up against Corwin's neck as soon as he finished killing off some of the Viper gang members down. "No way in this fucking earth would you take Crimson away from me! She is not your property to take nor will it ever be!"

"Hah! Speak for yourself!" Corwin huffed. "You have no right to even give her a small hickey on her neck and assumed she is already yours! But I was the one that had her first, not you!"

Craig barred his teeth, flashing it at Corwin with a threatening growl. "Like I give a flying fuck about that! She will never walk with you as long as I am still alive!"

"Aaaaaaan' the're at it again..." Eric groaned, taking a puff of smoke from his little cigarette. "Sure got yerself in th' middle b'tween those two snipers. Wonder who'll you end up with?"

I shot a glare the bounty hunter. "Let's just change the subject now! We need to keep walking if we are ever going to find the person Simon's boss wanted us to look for. The sooner we get this done, the quicker I can afford enough caps to pass through the gates towards New Vegas!" Seriously, is it always this fucking hectic whenever every one of us is taking a trip to whatever we are going to? Would be nice if it was just a small group of three, minus Craig and Corwin walking side-by-side due to being in rival factions. I walked the rest of the mountain path all the way down to where the burning town of Nipton is in view.

"Hoppin' shit, folks..." I heard Eric gasped as he walked a other passed me, seeing how his cigarette dropped from his open mouth. "That's Nipton?"

"Was..." Corwin appeared unexpectedly, making me jump and little. "A town of whores, thieves, and a greedy mayor who would bring Powder Gangers by day and NCR by night. Joining them together along with its townsfolk, they got what they deserve. Let's get moving..." He started making his way down the steep hill towards Nipton.

Along with the rest of the group around me, we followed Corwin through the rest of the road, over some tracks that can stretch for miles, and around the blazing tires blocking the path toward the center of the now ghost town. Man, this area is lot more empty than Goodsprings. "Shit, I didn't recognize those Powder Gangers up on those crosses the last time I was here." I walked up to one of the battered and bruised one closest to me.

"Damn, being up close and personal to these guys is far worse than hearing it on the radio..." Simon gulped, eyeing up at one of the Powder Gangers on the cross with Veronica.

Eric lit off another cigarette while standing next to Simon and Veronica. "Hate t' be one ov'em rascals hangin' up there. Sure's painful seein' th' ropes tied tightly on their wrists."

"This is my first time seeing a crucifix right in front of me..." Natalie whimpered, hugging Kip tightly in her arms. "Whoever knew this would look more creepy than a Deathclaw." I saw both Azrael and Terence walking to Natalie and bobbed their heads down along with her.

"U...Ugh..." The Powder Ganger closets to me groaned in a raspy, quite toned voice. "P...Please...kill me...I-I'm...begging y...you..."

"God damn Legion..." Now I didn't notice Craig standing right beside me, looking up at the second guy I was looking at. "Those fuckers are going to pay for crossing the border and killing off these innocent people here, and that price will be their lives served on a silver plate!"

"Umm, everyone?" I heard Willis call out to us. "Why is that guy pointing a weapon at me?"

I turned to where Willis was at, seeing a dark skin Powder Ganger with a small pistol aimed at the hybrid. But what's off about his is why he is laying on the floor with his blue pants all covered and stained with blood. He shift his eyes at my direction until a disgruntled groan went off from him. "Oh, are you fucking kidding me!?" He pushed himself forward using his arms. "Been here for a week after my fucking legs got smashed and then in comes the Powder Gangers grim fucking reaper! Heard about some dumb bitch whore of a red head courier saving a town of Goodsprings by the rest of the gangers over the radio. What the fuck do we ever do to you!?"

I shrugged my shoulders at the stranger. "I don't know, terrorizing people who had nothing to do other you? You're glad I didn't see you in Goodsprings, otherwise you'd be dead by now. But it seems the damn Legion had already took care of osteoporosis of the people here on Nipton."

"Fuck you, bitch!" He pulled the hammer back and aimed right at my direction, making Craig shield in front of me. "Jesus fucking Christ, if you really wanted me dead and gone you might as well stab me with 15 Med-X and I'll O.D. on myself for you." He slammed his hand with the gun down to the ground, grunting and seeing his teeth tightened. "F-Fuck!"

"Let's us help you up, sir." Terence, along with Azrael, walking up to the Powder Ganger, but was immediately stopped after he pulled his gun back up.

"Fucking touch me and I'll blow your piss-ass head right clean off your damn head!" He yelled.

"Wait," Veronica spoke up. "How come you're still here? And who might you be?"

The Powder Ganger scoot himself towards the building and propped himself to a sitting position, having his back leaning against it. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I fucking love being here! What do you fucking think, asshole!?" I can tell he's not a comedic type. "Boxcars, second place winner of the Nipton Lottery. Yeah, I got to live alright, with a price of crippling my legs with fucking hammers. Maybe if you got Med-X, I can fucking numb the pain down on my legs."

"Umm," Natalie walked up to Boxcars. "I hate to say this, but we don't have any Med-X o-"

"Bull-fucking-shit, bitch!" Boxcars yelled again. "You're just holding on to it and keeping them for yourselves! If my mentor were still alive, they would kill you and rob all over your valuable weapons and ammo right off your bodies! Too bad most of them are either dead, decapitated, or crucified. A couple of them got enslaved and the first place winner walked away a live and happy man."

"Wait," my voice rose. "a couple of them got enslave?"

"Precisely," Corwin stepped forward. "Vulpes, I, and the other Legionaries took a couple of Powder Gangers to the Legion Raiding camp east of here after I knocked you in the middle of town." He then glaried down at Boxcars. "I'm surprised you're still alive after Tannis pinned you down while I and a few others smashed your legs up into nothing but brittle bones."

Boxcars brought his gun up at Corwin, pointing right at his head. "That voice, so you're the fucking prick in the group of bastards beating my fucking legs into pulp! You deserve to have your brain matter splattered all over the fucking road beneath your feet!"

Craig was the first one to break the silence with a hearty laugh that echoed in the open air. "Please do! That fuck stain deserves it!"

"Same goes for you, NCR pussies!" Boxcars yelled at Craig. "You think you're all high and mighty in this fucking wasteland with your fucking power, but th-" his head got blown off to pieced from one of Craig's rifle bullets.

"That fucker got on my nerves for belittling the NCR!" Craig growled under his breath, bringing his rifle back in its holster.

All is dead silent after Boxcars is now dead, nothing but the whistle of the wind and the crackling of the fire far off somewhere within town. "Craig..." I groaned. "I know you got sensitive from what that guy said, but you don't need to shoot him after he was about to tell us about the slavers."

"Weren't you listening, Crimson!?" Natalie walked to me with Azrael and Terence. "That Legion guy already said where the slaves are at. Maybe if we can find this Legion camp and free the slaves, that'll be more lives saved from the Legion!"

"But we can't just hold off on the objective much longer," Simon fold his arms on his dark colored armor. "We need to get to the outpost so we can bring that said person back to the boss man. You know Jean-Baptiste and Ms. Gloria hates waiting for too long, rookie."

Simon did brought up a point. The only reason we have traveled this far is to find someone and bring that person back to the Silver Rush owner if I am ever going to keep the body guarding duty to work my way for the laser rifle I am currently borrowing. But, I can't just let the Legion do whatever the fuck they want and get away with murder like that. "I know that much, Simon. But with the Legion traveling their way to the Mojave sure send a red flag to every one of us, including the NCR, roaming this wasteland. I propose we split up into two groups."

"Splittin' up? Wha' 'bout workin' as a team for your and yer pardner's mission?" Eric blew the cigarette fumes up above him.

"I know, Eric," I groaned. "but if we are to ever do double the missions while we part into to groups, that'll get more things done as quick as we can before we regroup. Half of the group goes to the outpost, while the other goes and rescue the captured slaves at the Legion camp."

Veronica cleared her throat. "Umm, one small problem. We don't know where this outpost place is."

"It's up there!" Terence point through a gap between two buildings, showing a hill going up towards a couple of strange figures standing face to face. "I'll make sure to lead the group over to the outpost, then wait for your group's return when you get there."

I glare at the Gun Runners associate and shook my head. "I'm going to need you for this one Terence, along with Azrael, Corwin, and Craig to head up to the Raiding camp. We will need a steady amount of ammo and supplies if we were about to get ambushed by them again."

"Absolutely not!" This is the first time I ever heard Azrael yelled at me for anything regarding Terence. "I am not going to let Mr. Ko get killed by those imbeciles of a faction while we still have a very important business to attend to. Like escorting Private Natalie to meet with a said person, or you and your coworker finding your boss's said person, why don't we focus on that!?"

I remained quiet at the exiled Brotherhood bodyguard for a good minute or two, giving him a glare of my own. "There's at time where we do have to bend the rules here, to do things beyond what any authority wants us to do. How I went against a Rangers orders and saved a few NCR lives at Nelson instead of giving them a mercy killing along with a few of my friends and comrades."

Terence placed a hand on Azrael's shoulder, showing off a reassuring smile at his caravan guard. "Young Azrael, don't fret. There will be a day where I won't be able to walk on this Earth anymore. I may still feel young but I just one minute away of passing through to the nothingness. I wanted you to do whatever you can to protect our new friends if such a time comes in the future." He pulled up a backpack strap over his left shoulder plate. "Shall we assist our fellow companions?"

Azrael gazed at the associate, only to have an exhale escape from him. "Awaiting the current objectives, Courier Crimson." He said to me.

"Alright," I nod. "The rest of the group can head over and wait at the outpost. I'll have my group travel to the camp to free the slaves from the Legion."

"I'll go ahead and bring them safely there," Natalie suggested. "since Ranger Jackson is waiting for me over there to bring him some papers. Make sure to radio us if you need backup." She saw me nod before turning to her group. "Let's hurry over there. And watch your backs for assasins." Natalie, along with Eric, Willis, Veronica, and Simon, began walking passed Boxcars corpse and headed west through the same road I went through a week ago.

"Better get a move on." Corwin started walking back towards the mountain path. "I know where the camp is from here."

"I'm hoping you'll be useful this time, fuck stain..." Craig growled as he, Azrael, and Terence followed the ex-Legion.

I looked back at the Nipton town hall once more, gazing up at a red flag flying on the roof. But out of nowhere, I saw a figure pop up and kicked the Legion flag off of the roofs edge as it land on top of one of the tire pits. "Huh?" I stored right at the mysterious figure, who seems to be looking down at me before disappearing out of sight.

"Crimson?" Craig's soft voice called out near my ear with a hand rested firmly on my left hand. "You okay? We need to get going if we are to free those slaves."

Even the calm tone coming from Craig seemed to have made me more at ease. I guess I owe him that much for keeping me company. But, now I'm wondering what was that thing that I just saw on the roof seconds ago. "Yeah, let's get going..." I murmured to him.


	54. Chapter 53 - Take Back What's Mine

**_-Booted Pt. 2-_**

Through the blistering heat from the high noon sun up above us, we followed the ex-Legion Corwin east through the Mojave to find two Powder Ganger slaves being held in a Legion Raiding camp. We had to make a quick stop for Corwin to change into his Legion armor Terence kept ad a request. Quite skeptical about finding the place without being seen by the assassins or the faction members, but luckily Corwin found a solution into bribing his former brethren into bringing the slaves away from the camp. "Let's hope this fucking plan of that fuck stain works, or I'll bloodied his face to where's it's unrecognizable." Craig growled to himself while we wait near the turned over truck in the mountain passage. "Sheesh, what is fucking taking that asshole so long!?"

"Ten minutes sure does feel like a long time to bring back an intact Legion armor." I said, having a hold of Gehenna beside Azrael. I turned my head to see Azrael making a kind of defensive stance I've been trying to perfect while we wait for Corwin to rerurn. Throughout the past ten minutes, I've been told that everything I've try to copy the same position he did was incorrect or sloppy. Even holding Gehenna wrong was starting to weigh me down. So, I gave it another go...hopefully...

"No, no...that stance is incorrect." Azrael groaned, shaking his head as he stared at the stance I'm trying to make while wielding Gehenna with both of my hands. Having my right foot slightly bent forward and my left behind with the support of my toes, I don't understand how the stance is incorrect? "Try again."

I turned my head at my sword wielding mentor. "What do you mean!? I did exactly what you showed me! Right out, left in, sword up, head down, the words you constantly try to drill into my empty mind!"

Azrael held up a right index finger. "Mind. You've just answered your question." Using the same finger, he tapped my forehead several times, making me swat his hand away from my face. "Pardon me for doing that, Courier Crimson. I did that to indicate that you don't seem to show the battle-ready attitude in not only the mind, but in your body language as well." He answered with his arms crossed, the katana still in his left hand. "Showing the enemy a coward side of you, or how you are unprepared to defend yourself, that makes it easier on them to land a strike on you. If you show to them that you are willing to defend your life at all costs, chances are that you might succeed with minimal to a fair amount of cuts and injuries on you."

I brought both my feet back together, lowering Gehenna down and away from Azrael. "I just don't understand why Terence gave me a very rare weapon like this from the Gun Runners? I don't know jack shit about it! What makes me stand out of everyone he meets in his travels?"

"In due time, Ms. Crimson." Terence grinned, still sat down with his legs crossed next to Craig with both palms together and eyes closed. "Reason as to why I have sought a successor for Gehenna will come when you're able to draw the inner spirit within it. Then," he opened his eyes to me. "you'll begin to understand it more."

I swear Terence must be speaking in some strange language since I have no freaking clue as to what he is saying. "Terence, I doubt I'll understand this damn weapon in my hand." I shook my head as I eyed Gehenna. "Fuck, I can't seem to wield Gehenna well enough if my life depend on it, even trying to draw out this inner spirit thing, or whatever you call it, is confusing. I might as well stick to my laser rifle, from now on." I hand Gehenna to Azrael. "You can have it back..."

"I must decline, Courier Crimson." Azrael unraveled his arms, using one of his hands to gently push Gehenna back to me. "Mr. Ko gave it to you and only you."

"Then why, Azrael!?" I screamed at him. "I am fucking unfit to wield this damn thing!"

"Such doubt like that leads to a weary soul wandering with questions in mind." Terence pushed himself back onto his feet. "Too much doubt, your mind will be shrouded with a dark cloud hovering above it."

"Again with the dark cloud thing?" I glared at the merchant. "First Arcade, now you. What does that even mean!?"

Terence pulled a soft grin, much to my annoyance. "Full of worry, depression. You're unhappy and uncertain about wielding Gehenna even though you've only used it for the past several hours. Learning new things and mastering it quickly is not the way to go and you might miss something good very important. But if you were to walk among the road and gaze around your surroundings, good things will come if you take it one small step at a time."

Although what Terence have been lecturing me about the dark cloud thing sure made sense, but why do I still feel like something doesn't seem right whenever I have Gehenna in my hand. "I don't know..." I propped the sword onto Azrael's free hand and walked away from him, making my way to one of the rundown vehicles to lean against with my arms crossed.

"Courier Crimson, you can't just give up like that!" Azrael bellowed from afar. "Sure, I know that, in my opinion, you are highly unfit to wield Gehenna! But if Mr. Ko believes he has entrusted you with one of his prized possessions, then I have no choice but to believe in you too! If you want to know more about wielding this shishkabob, I can still teach you!"

I didn't budge an inch away from the car behind me. All these thoughts riddled in my mind, doubts swarming like a cazadore's wings weighed me down from even walking back to them. Much like my doubts about Craig's feelings towards me instead of his deceased wife past night, and doubts about retrieving the Platinum Chip from Benny if I don't come up with nought caps to pass through the Securitrons guarding the gate. "Why do I have to be in the middle of everything here? I'm just a stupid courier trying to get a stupid chip back from some stupid guy who shot me a week ago at Goodsprings. I am not that special or anything, everyone in this wasteland always call me the lowly courier because of always risking my life to deliver simple shit like letters and small packages to whatever destination they told me to go to. Nobody wants to have their life maimed and killed because of some stupid delivery, reason why couriers are always frowned upon by most people here."

"People judge everybody they see before they can even get to know the person." Terence spoke. "A wise one never jumps forth to conclusions without hearing an explanation first. Because of such occupation you have Ms. Crimson, people always assume that couriers walk the path to Grim's Road, or the road to their early grave as some call it, and laugh of such a foolish job the wastelanders could acquire."

"He's right, to be honest. But I have to ask, how can you remember that without one of those headaches happening?" Craig asked, probably to me.

I twist my head at the sniper companion. "Huh?"

"You never once said through the passed week anything about what couriers do while delivering from destination to destination when you first met everyone in our battalion." He stated. "I'm wondering if you didn't realized that you regained some of your memory while your mind was filled with nothing but doubts."

Now that I think of it, I didn't even realized about knowing what I explained regarding the duties a courier does while traveling and delivering a said item or letter to whatever it takes me. Plus, not experiencing a headache is a first. "Odd..." That's all I can breath out through my confused expression on my face.

"But," Craig pushed himself off of the truck behind him, making his way to me. "there is one thing about that you're not..." He stopped a foot from me. "and it's that you're not the lowly courier who've helped everyone around this wasteland. Well, to the NCR you are that lowly courier that helped out fortified their defense 20% and push the Legion back at bit, but you're _the _Crimson all of us in the group know and stayed with. If you think that is not enough to heightened your motivation to keep moving forward, what will?"

I moved my head back down to the ground. "I don't know...what will if all I have is an empty mind?"

"You still have amnesia, which fucking sucks in my opinion," Craig moved himself in front of me, swiftly moved both his hands on both sides of my face and forced it up, staring directly at his shimmering green eyes. "But whoever you might really be before you became the courier, we will do what we can to find your lost identity. We will always walk with you and protect you from getting killed, because you are this wasteland's savior." He now placed his hands firmly on my shoudlers. "You're also my savior from four years ago. If you hadn't jump out and protected me from all those Fiends, I wouldn't be alive today to tell how I felt about you."

His words might've hit me, but it doesn't seem to quite cut it for me. "What does that have to do with me wielding Gehenna?"

"I agree, asesino!" Craig and I turned our head to the direction where Corwin, now wearing a full Legion armor set, appearing around the huge truck while holding a bloodied machete, goggles, and a mask with strange stuff hanging on the top, much like the one he wore when I first saw him at Nelson. "But I'm wondering why you have your murderous hands on her innocent shoulders!?" Corwin used one of his hands to shove the 1st Recon away from me. "You need to fucking learn your place, puto! One more of that and it's your face I'm going to rearrange with my fist!"

Craig did the same gesture the Great Khan did to him. "She's not some kind of valuable artifact you want no one else to touch! If you want me dead, go ahead and fucking beat me to a pulp! I dare you!"

"Oh," Corwin huffed as a sneer formed. "I would happily do that, asswipe! And I would enjoy every second while I'm doing it!" Just when Corwin was about to step forward, a sword swiftly shown with the sharp edges pointing at the neck.

"That's as far as you go, Great Khan Corwin." Azrael growled. "If you must know, we are really wasting precious time here with this nonsense fighting over Courier Crimson when we are about to free two slaves at a Legion camp. Cooperate if you want to lead us there, and no blood shall shed through out skins." He brought his katana back into its hilt.

Corwin glared at the merchant bodyguard before looking back at Craig. "Soon...just you wait, asesino." He put his black tinted goggles on before pulling the Legion mask over his head, but pulled some of the cloth so it can expose his lower head.

"So, what took you so long to get just a simple Legion armor?" I asked, though Craig kept himself close to me if I were to walk near Corwin.

With a large cloth, Corwin wiped all of the blood off the edge of his machete. "A couple of assasins tried to make a jump on me. They thought executing a defying, ex-Legion recruit would be easy for them, but obviously they didn't know that I was specially trained by Vulpes himself." He sheathed his machete back into the small hilt on his hip. "Good thing you got me, mi amor, I would protect you-"

"Just fucking tell us where the camp is and lead us there!" Craig bellowed, knowing how impatient he is with killing the Legion each second is wasted.

Corwin rolled his eyes, but looked away from his rival towards me. "The Legion camp is not far from here, but the slavers I was accompanied with are very skilled to detect even a small sound of peddles falling off a rock. If we really ever to stealthily enter into the boundaries, we need to be _as quiet _as possible."

"Well," Craig chuckled. "It seems Crimson here had picked a well selected squad to follow you to the camp." He turned his head to Azrael. "That is if you are specialized in stealth."

Azrael nod, keeping his face straight at the sniper. "I am an exiled Brotherhood Knight of the Mojave Wasteland. Being under their steel wing years ago, they taught me everything in the Pre-war books and Holotapes just in case if I were to assign an objective outside the metal walls. But with the lock down Elder placed indefinitely, I threatened him to lift it up as a result of my banishment. Now, I am Mr. Ko's caravan and Gun Runners guard, and I still hold the knowledge I retained from my time with the faction."

"Much like how Corwin with the Legion before he defied his leader." I spoke. "Except it's quite different from why you got thrown out from the Brotherhood of Steel." Even though I have never met anybody other than Azrael and Veronica from the Brotherhood of Steel, seems like I've learned and retain a unchained of knowledge during my travels through the Mojave. Though, I'm kind of wondering if a week is too quick for me to know this much despite a forgotten memory I need to retrieve.

Azrael nod only once. "Precisely. Everyone has a contrasting explanation from how they go against their leader, bending the rules as you might say or veering away from the path they want you to follow. We are all human with many personalities that makes us unique. But enough with this conversation, we have a couple of captive wastelanders that need to be freed." He tossed Gehenna back to me. "Let's get going."

"Thanks..." I murmured under my breath, sheathing Gehenna in the sword holder.

"About fucking time..." Craig groaned. "I was starting to become impatient the longer we talk about irrelevant shit." He twist his head at the Legion armor wearing foe. "Any idea where your fuck buddies are at?" He asked with a small grin, chuckling at his comment.

Corwin can only give Craig a cold glare, walking forward before shoving him the the side with his shoulder. "Follow me. The camp is not that far from here."

Both Terence and Azrael stayed close by near Corwin as they started to follow him through the mountain path. I only took a step forward before Craig made a a human door right in front of me. Seriously, just him doing that annoys the fuck out of me. "What is it..." I whined.

"Crimson," he murmured my name. "whatever he is planning to do while we make our way to the camp, I'll be fucking damn if he tries to kidnap you from behind my back." He closed both of his eyes, taking one quick breath before opening them up. But in his soft eyes, I can already tell the worry buried within them. "What I'm saying is, I want you to stay close to me no matter how much you try to hurry and be done with frering thr slaves at the camp. "Beli-"

"Get your fucking, poor excuse of existence away from her if you want to head to the camp!" I heard Corwin's voice echoed from behind my sniper comrade. "Time's wasting!"

Craig shut his eyes again with his nose wrinkled. "Just..." He murmured once more, trying to maintain himself from becoming a ticking time bomb. "Just stay by me, okay?" And with one last deep breatb, he reopened his eyes at me.

"Okay." I nod at him. Even though I'm still curious about my past with Corwin, but I guess I'll keep my distance away from him for a while...for Craig's sake.

* * *

It didn't take us long to walk through the Mojave after traversing through the mountain passage, we have manage to creating a hiding spot just yards from where Corwin said lies the Legion Raiding camp. Corwin quietly used a pair of binoculars Terence have to see the camp from afar. "About five or six slavers are within the camp, two Powder Gangers with their wrists bounded up near a campfire...shit, they're the same guys I was with a week ago but minus Vulpes." He hopped down from a clear ledge near the rest of us. "But I know a plan as to how we can free them, and it's really tricky to fool them."

"Well," Craig huffed, crossing his arms as he stood really close to me to avoid Corwin from making a move on me. "this'll be fun..."

"Coming from an assasin like you, puto." Corwin growled. "Anyways, I'll disguise myself as one of the Legion recruits while trying to change the tone of my voice, I am going to need one of you to act as a slave I'm bringing to them. And that doesn't mean for Crimson to act like one, they suspect it in a flash." He eyed both Terence and Azrael. "Any takers?"

It became dead silent once Azrael eyes his partner beside him. "Shall I bring out some straws and let one of us draw one out?" Terence joked.

"Mr. Ko," Azrael groaned. "This is no time to be making such nonsense jokes about this. Plus, I rather risk myself to be a slave than to have you become captured by Great Khan Corwin's former cohorts."

Terence held a hand up onto his bodyguard's shoulder. "Azrael, I'll be fine. You just worry to much."

"N-No, I don't..." Azrael stammered, turning his head away from Terence. "I-It's my purpose to guard and protect you at all costs when the both of us are traveling here and abroad."

"Look," Corwin hissed. "are we going to fucking hug each other like pansies, or is anyone going to help me with this. I'm fucking get growing impa-"

"I'll do it." Craig interrupted his foe. "If nobody is going to act as a slave, guess I'll be the candidate for the role. But, we got to make it look like I tried to fight you off from being capture, like back at Nelson." He turned his head towards me. "And I am going to need you to punch me in the face, no holding back."

I flinched, my eyes enlarged at his sudden suggestion. "What!?" My voice squeaked. "You have got to be joking!"

Craig kept staring at me, turning his whole body towards me. "I never joke, Crimson. If I were, I'd be laughing get by now. But I am not. I need you to give me all you got and beat my face as much as you can to make it look like I got caught in a dirty fight with that fuck stain."

"Fuck off, puto!" Corwin hissed quietly.

I swallowed a large lump in my throat as I eyed Craig in shock. I shut both of them tightly while shaking my head vigorously. "N-No Craig..."

"Crimson," Just how he spoke my name softly made my heart jump. "This will be a chance to improve your unarmed techniques if you were to face off against the Legion without a stable conditioned weapon on you. So..." He chuckled a little. "give me all you got, Gecko Bite!"

"Oh," Corwin snickered. "This I _have _to see!"

_Why is Craig doing this to me!? _I mean, yeah...I still need to learn how to punch through the defenses of any enemy I run across, including the Legion. But...something about this just doesn't feel right, though I don't got another option other than Craig acting as a slave to rescue the Powder Gangers. "Alright, it's worth a shot..." I gulped, feeling my heart banging against my chest.

"Don't hold back, okay?" Craig spoke. "Think of me as someone you want to exact your revenge and punch the living daylights out of him. Like that Benny guy that shot you."

Just hearing the name of The Tops chairman was just enough to make me clench both my hands into fists. I slowly shut my eyes, recalling the memory of being shot by Benny for the Platinum Chip from two nights before I woke up without any memory in Goodsprings. The image alone was enough to make my blood go into a boiling point. _Here goes nothing... _I reopened my eyes, bring my right arm to ready my shot at punching my NCR friend. Once I shot my arm forward to his face, Craig grabbed my wrist and the back of my neck, pulling me forward to have his lips hit mine. "Mm!?" _What the fuck!?_

I felt Craig pulled away from me. "Let's see if that fuck stain can react to that." He murmured, only audible for me to hear.

"You..." I pulled my face an inch away from Craig's, turning at the red face, wide eye ex-Legion. "BASTARDO!" He leaped forward, shoving Craig down to the ground. "PUTOOO!" He yelled while he sat on top of Craig's torso, grabbing the brute's neck with one hand and punching his face with the other. "YOU! ASSHOLE!"

I noticed how both Terence and Azrael ran quickly and grabbed an arm to pull Corwin off of Craig. But because of the little maneuver the sniper did to me, just a hold is not enough to bring down the Great Khan. "Mr. Corwin, please stop! I think that's just enough for now!" But even with the merchant and guard's hold proved useless to the Great Khan as he yanked his arms out of their hold and make his way back to Craig.

Any moment that I've wasted doing nothing to protect Craig, Corwin will have his chance to claim his vengeance on his foe from what happened four years in Bitter Springs. But it's not just that, claiming me as his own which I have no fucking clue why he wanted to do that. "Corwin," I yelled, stomping my way to block Corwin's path with the laser rifle drawn out. "This stops now!"

"Why would I fucking stop after what that piece of brahmin shit did to you..._in front of me_!?" He hissed. "He doesn't deserve you, nor will he have you as long as I am walking. And once I'm done with that fucker, I'll take you back and show you why you belong to me."

I raised my weapon at his face when he took a step forward. "Like I belong to you, Corwin! The only fucking reason why I brought you along is to find answer to my forgotten past with you and why you're involved! Unless you give me the reason for that, I'll keep my weapon aimed at your head. And I won't hesitate to make you into hot ash in seconds!"

Corwin maintain his eyes locked with mine, pulling his lips into a smirk. "Why would you want to disintegrate me before you have a chance to hear the answers I want to tell you?" He let off a dark chuckle. "What a fucking, stupid bitch you are Crimson! A useless piece of waste you are to this wasteland, nothing but a mere degenerate who is useful as a slave than a free woman who can do whatever the fuck she wants." He stomped forward, swat the laser rifle of my hands and grabbed a fistful of my hair., making me yell into the air. "I'll give you a little hint about us: whenever Vulpes gave me a list of people to obtain to bring back in the Fort three years ago, I manipulated you into _helping _me find and _save _their lives from the NCR clutches."

"W-What!?" I gasped, distraught from what I am now hearing.

Corwin sneered. "The NCR must receive retribution from what they did to my Great Khan family in Bitter Springs. I figure with you having no memory back then, it's quite useful to use you to my advantages and my revenge. But there was still a part of me that feels like using an innocent bystander was wrong, but I got no choice." He released his grip on my hair. "Vulpes wants to ensure I do the job right or I got be the one that dies first before that sniper lover of yours does. I wanted to do better as I promised Maylene long before the massacre."

"Better than having each and every wastelander becoming slaves to the Legion!" I stood my ground in front of him. "But, what I'm wondering what you said about our connection in the past is true..."

Corwin looked away from me. "It is."

"So..." I turned to Craig, his face bruised and covered in blood, struggling to stand up on his two feet. "You used her to bring new slaves to your Fort?" Glad I am near him, otherwise I wouldn't have caught him before he fell to his knees. I swung his right arm over my shoulders, keeping him up with my left arm wrapped around his back.. "Sheesh, I knew you were a piece of shit the moment I saw you at Nelson, but after hearing how you manipulated Crimson into doing that makes you lower than brahmin shit."

"I said I had no choice, puto!" Corwin yelled. "Back then, four years ago I was driven into lust for revenge on you. I wanted to see your head lobbed out of your shoulders and stuck through a spear as my prize. But because of the two of you now working together for the wretched NCR, it's causing a strain on me on whether I should love again, or plot vengence." He lift one part of his lips up. "Guess I chose the latter: killing you before I take my lover back."

"I knew I would never trust you the second time you decided to show up, fuck stain..." Craig growled near my ear. "Past or not with Crimson, I wouldn't want you inches near her, not while I'm still standing beside her. You think you love her, but I think you're a fucking obsessive and a masochistic pussy!"

"Well, well, seems like we've got ourselves some fresh meat!" We all went on high alert when a circle of Legion surrounding the five of us with their guns point right at our heads. "Wait...Corwin? What are you doing here? Weren't you suppose to be back at the Fort?"

Corwin rolled his eyes at the guy to his right. "Unfortunately, I am no longer a member of the Legion after defying Caesar's orders because of his poor excuse of leadership..."

"Oh..." The Legion member lowered his weapon. "But how come you're with these other degenerates?"

Corwin shift his eyes at my and Craig's direction then back to his former partner. "Well, I-" something zipped past him, creating a lingerie through his check a and into the guy's forehead. "What the fuck!? I was trying to come up with a plan, puto!" He yelled at Craig.

"What are you talking about!?" I shrieked. "If Craig had the strength to being his rifle out, he would've done it when they first arrive."

"You know," an unfamiliar voice echoed from my right. "I've heard that prideful Legionaries never stop talking when it comes to situations like this. I wonder why you people always recruit those types of people." I heard more gun shots echoed from that direction 's more Legionaries fell down one by one, face first onto the ground.

I twist my head, while being a crutch to Craig, to see the very tall figure I saw on top of the Nipton Town Hall a while ago. He wears some dark brown trench coat with some green armor-like pads on his shoulders, forearm, knees and shoes. A gray padded chest armor with some chain of bullets and pouches wrapped around it, two belts around the ain't with one holding some brown bottle, gray pants and tan boots like Craig's. Except it went up to the lower knees. He's also wearing some kind of helmet with and oddly shaped face mask, the eye part being a dark shade of red. "Wait, you're that thing I saw back at Nipton. How di-"

"Pardon me for a second." The mysterious figure interrupted me as he pulled up a handgun, aiming it at Corwin's head. "Seems like there is one I missed."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" I yelled at him. "He's traveling with us, we need him!"

"That much I know," the figure nod his helmet. "but I'm concerned about the courier's safety when it comes to a Legionary like this person. Such a legend like her does not need to die off that quickly."

"Huh?" I flinched a little. How does he know that I am the courier?

"Oh fuck off, scum bag!" Corwin barked with his machete drawn out. "And who are you? More competition to take that courier bitch away from me? Well, you can kiss that plan goodbye since she was mine first!"

I head the figure sigh a little as he shook his head, lowering his weapon down. "That courier bitch you say? Her being yours first you say? Unfortunately, the choice of obsession over someone you know in just a short amount of time is not yours to make. I must say, the courier does not belong to anyone in this point in juncture."

"You're damn right Crimson doesn't belong to that Legion fuck." Craig chuckle, manage to regain his strength on himself. "Never will he take my Crimson for the taking."

The figure turned himself around to see me and Craig. "When I mean that the courier doesn't belong to anyone, that implies with you, NCR 1st Recon. She doesn't belong to anyone, nor she will be anyone's unless she makes the decision to find out who does. Mind your space with her if you don't want her dead."

The words alone pretty much made Craig dead silent, and hit him hard. "Yeah..." He murmured, lowering his head down in defeat. Wow, never knew one mysterious person's words can impact a tough 1st Recon sniper within seconds.

"My apologies for intruding to your speech," Azrael spoke up. "I believe you haven't properly introduced yourself to us, despite our gratitude in dispelling the Legion for us."

"And," I spoke up next. "I really like to know how you know that I am the courier?"

"Radio..." The figure spoke, putting his handgun within his trench coat. "A courier with an assumed name helping those in trouble through the Mojave, the one who recovered in a town called Goodsprings, a growing legend that makes wastelanders envy or wish they can walk the same path with you. A certain individual with a band of companions assisting the NCR in any way in hopes of defeating the Legion in an upcoming was." He reached up to yank a strap off from under his helmet. Removing it, he revealed a fair complexion with short hair, green and hazel colored eyes like Terence's and a scar through his right eye and the other under it. "I am Wade Nilsson, I've traveled across the wasteland beyond the Mojave in search of legends and how they came to be, and how they are formed. A Seeker I call mysef, courier."

"Ugh, and I thought I would last a day without being called the radio celebrity." I grumbled, crossing my arms while I shake my head. "Getting fucking tired of that..."

"Speaking of tired," Terence spoke. "I bet the slaves in the Legion camp might need some help there. I think having their ha do bound together makes them tired."

I bobbed my head once. "Then let's go." Everyone followed me as we ran around the large rock to the direction where the Legion camp is at. I noticed a big, gray tent yards from where we at. "Slaves must be there."

"That's the camp alright." Corwin caught up to my side while we ran around it to meet the slaves in the middle of the camp. But once we reach it, we noticed the Powder Ganger's head are off of their bodies. "Shit, we're too late..." He growled.

"Precisely, young pup." A spine chilling snicker trailed off from behind me and my companions. It happens to be Vulpes when he revealed himself while walking around us. "I'm surprised you're working along with these degenerates you call partners. Tell me, do you think these pathetic lives are worth saving?"

"What are you talking about!?" I barked.

Vulpes stopped just several feet away from the five of us. "Maybe the slaves you've been trying to rescue. Or maybe your's and your fellow comrades-in-arms? Can't you tell me who's life is worth saving?" He let off a chuckle.

"Every life does if they are in need or in danger." Terence spoke over his guard's shoulder with the katana drawn out. "Even if there are people who have lost their light from commiting crimes, they should be free regardless of the outcome."

I drew out Gehenna from the sword holder, trying not to grasp onto the lever that activates the fire on it. "Terwnce is right. It's better than making them the Legion's slaves! Seems like you're the one that decapitated those slaves."

"Oh?" Vulpes smirked. "Assuming that I have beheaded these worthless creatures of the wastes? Explain what the little pup was doing during the one-sixth of the hour while you're waiting? Does he travel onward to find an intact Legion armor in hopes of creating an ambush to free the slaves? Or does the little pup created a helpless, puppy fave facade in order to hide his true orders that were requested from his master?" He chuckled.

"I knew I smell betrayal a mile away..." Craig hissed with his rifle out of the holster. "Seems like the fuck stain has lured us into a trap."

"Oh, really?" Vulpes held up one hand, using two fingers to create a sharp, snap noise for several Legionaries to appear behind him with their machetes and guns drawn at us. "I'm just astounded that the little, lone wolf pup followed his master's commands, despite my efforts to keep him in a leash after he defied Lord Caesar's leadership." He chuckled once more he brought out a sword exactly like one of the Centurion's back at Nelson, but the he is more smaller. "Now, onto the real objective at hand: taking the little, precious courier to the Fort."

Craig raised his rifle up at Vulpes. "To Hell would any Legion bastard lay a fucking hand on Crimson! Take another step and I'll blow your heads up into oblivion!"

"Face it asesino..." Corwin murmured. "Not even the highest ranked NCR soldier are matched against Vulpes's agile and deadly attacks." He made both of his hands ball up into fists. "Yeah, I betrayed you all just so I can fulfill my revenge on the NCR, that was my sole purpose to fill the emptiness I've felt after I lost my sister. I'm sorry..."

I noticed the pain and agony written in Corwin's eyes. Just something from him makes my chest feel heavy just by looking at him. "Corwin..." I whispered. Despite his betrayal, Corwin looked like he had done something wrong...in my opinion.

"Thus such a chance is in front of you, young pup." Vulpes spoke, slowly walking forward towards me, making me an ominous chill each step I watch him move closer to me. "Take care of your so called 'comrades' and I'll kindly help bring your lover back to you."

Wade stepped forward and stand in front of me like a shield, grabbing a red and black hilt from his pitch black scabbard. "Vulpes Inculta of the Legion, I presume, the right-hand man of Caesar. I'm surprised to see you again after our small encounter nearly a year and a half ago." He slowly brought out katana much like Azrael's, but only black on the top portion and gray on the bottom.

"Ah," Vulpes stopped a few feet from Wade. "The one who made a name and enemy of Caesar. I never forget that day you decimate the whole party of ten Legion soldiers after you call us savages. We, of the Legion, will show Caesar's might once we take over this vile and sullied wasteland to each degenerate we see. Wastelaner, NCR soldiers, raiders, Powder Gangers, they are all the same to the Legion."

"Yeah, not being slaves to you, for one." I scoot to the side to see the enemy in view, keeping a good grasp on Gehenna. "Though I don't understand why you would treat him like a pet instead of a regular human being."

Vulpes, even though his black goggles shield whatever he's doing with his eyes, formed another grin. "Like a little puppy, he still needs supervision under his master, such as back at Nipton where he almost end your life there. Each day, he would go his at to both find the lover he misses so much, and plot vengence against the person who killed his dear sister. Though taking his enemy's wife proved more useful to his constant strain of war and struggle in his mind, but the young pup thinks that's not enough to kill him off. Lord Caesar got fed up with his indisputable behavior and disrespect, I have been order to remain his master until he is no longer needed." He turned to Corwin. "Surely you can never disobey an order, unless you want to end up the same way as your precious sister."

"Corwin!" I yelled out before Vulpes could continue. "You don't need to obey every order he does. He can't control you and fool around its your mind like you're some kind of innocent child! Maybe you can stay with us and walk on a better path than what you were beforehand!"

"Like that asshole is going to continue traveling with us!" Craig growled, moving himself closer to me. "He's going to betray us, no doubt." He raised his rifle up and the damaged Legionary.

"It's Mr. Corwin's decision, Mr. Boone." Terence pushed Craig's weapon down slowly. "Even in betrayal, we must keep ourselves together if we are going to regroup with the others." He began to walk to Corwin, with Azrael on guard and ready with his sword up, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mr. Corwin, I want to do you this, as someone who use to travel for revenge too. I, too, wanted revenge for the murderous actions the raiders did to my family far off in a different place than here. I figure traveling to gain answer would be good enougj, but I asked myself if vengeance is the right course of action to take upon?"

Vulpes snickered, placing his arms behind his back with his sword still in his left hand. "Do you think mere words of persuasion would change the young pup's mind for revenge? Corwin's mind is within a deep side of darkness that only the motivation of his alive target is his only reason why he's like that: damaged, confused, torn, and lost. I helped him get back on his feet and trained him how to wield a sniper rifle like his bitter enemy did that killed his only family he had. I taught him everything he knows that got him this far, and" He turned his head to Corwin. "he is just inches away in fulfilling it. Not only he wishes to kill the NCR soldier, he wants to bring back the love of his life he thought was long dead when she disappeared without a trace."

_Disappeared? _My eyelids twitched.

Wade lift his hand up as the tip of his katana was just centimeters from his nose. "The courier does not belong to the Legion, nor your subordinate, nor anyone in this wasteland. All you want from her is to manipulate her for your own purpose and selfish needs. Wrapping a slave collar around her neck, thus using her for your savagery and your ill-minded pleasure will never happen as long as her comrades have her back."

"This is one reason I detest people like you." Vulpes hissed. "Rebelliousness, standing your ground against the Legion when we are the ones in the right, oblivious to our teachings we've force to impale your mind with. The Mojave is nothing but anarchy, being protected by a dictating faction they consider a military, everything in the wasteland is wrong, for one. Unless you can understand the ways the NCR is using underneath our blind eyes, you'll wish to join the Legion as well."

"You forgot that I'm the only female in this group here..." I clarified. "You people treat women like they are not equal to you in any way."

"Under Caesar's eyes, they really nothing more that seed bearers and caretakers." Vulpes stated, now make my blood boil by hearing that. "If we were to capture you, you'll be the sole caretaker only for young Corwin, to obey every need, request, and subdue to his every desire without resistance. Caesar has made it clear to every one in the Legion once that happens."

I saw Craig moving his arm to push me behind him. "Over my fucking dead body will she be subjected to such harsh punish you'll give her! Never, not even if I'm dead, will Crimson ever stay with your fuck stain of a recruit and let him taint her soul and mind whenever he feels like it!"

Vulpes flash his teeth from his crooked grin. "Oh, but this is just the beginning. You have yet to see what young Corwin can do to bring back his lover." He turned back to the recruit. "Corwin, are you still loyal to the mighty Caesar? If you wish to take back what's yours, I have much more you can learn if you wish to return to the Fort. But, I would pity and shunned you if your mind has change to that of the wastes of time you consider comrades you've been traveling with."

"Corwin," I murmured, having the Legionary turn his head at me. "you don't need to be push around like that anymore. Maybe we can at least start over and maybe talk things out, just as friends. I can help you fight off your struggle like I have with Craig's."

Corwin turned his head back down to the ground, closing his eyes once he took a deep breath. "I do need help..." He murmured. "but not as a friend, only my lover I missed. I'll fucking do whatever I can to take you back and make everything as it was before you disappeared." He brought out his machete. "But, I need to finish off that sniper lover of yours!" He began stomping with his weapon in hand at Craig.

_If he kills Craig, I'm just an open target! _I yelled in my mind. I placed all of my finger on the blue lever to have the bright flames engulfed on the blade of Gehenna. I readied myself within the enemy's path. "Fine, guess I'll stop you from killing Craig!"

"Move out of the way," Corwin growled. "I won't hesitate into stabbing you as well!" Even his threats frightened me from ithin, but I am not going to let him kill Craig in cold blood. With Gehenna's blade up and ablaze, I managed to recreate the stance Azrael has been teaching me countless times during the wait in the mountain passage. Now I have found the battle ready spirit drawing from within my weapon and the will to do something against the enemy.

"Then I'll protect the one I have fallen for!" I huffed.

"Crimson?" I heard Craig gasped behind me.

Corwin stopped three feet away from me. His eyes widen, hearing his breathing quickened from what I said. "Fallen...for..." He breathed. "Fallen for?" He repeated as he raised his weapon up using both hands over his head. "FALLEN FOR!?"

I shield my face e with both my arms, closing my eyes as I braced myself for the impact of his machete. "MR. KO!" I heard Azrael yelled out.

"Huh?" I reopened my eyes, feeling my heart beat rapidly once I slowly lowered both my arms to see what had happened. I felt my eyes sting with the tears forming, stunned and immobilized in place as I see Corwin's weapon through Terence's chest.


	55. ANNOUNCEMENT - NOT DEAD!

_**ATTENTION CURRENT FOLLOWERS AND READERS!**_

_**My deepest and sincere apologies for everyone waiting for the newest chapter of this story. Several factors have been happening during my absence regarding motivation drainage, more hours at work that now put me at full time, personal issues which I rather not mention, and of course my husband getting me TES: Skyrim...sheesh, I blame him but don't tell him that. Anyways, I can't determined when I'll be able to continue the story due to long hours on certain days at my job, but rest assured that I'll figure out a way to squeeze in my spare time to make a portion of a chapter each day.**_

_**Again, deepest apologies for my absence everyone. See you soon! -CS**_


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